Marking the 24th year since the tragic terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11th, 2001, Fallston students & staff came together to honor the many lives lost that day. The event, “Laps of Legacy: Fallston’s 9/11 Memorial Walk,” took place on the track where PE classes, health classes, STRIVE students and more collectively walked 2,799 laps around the track – one lap for each life lost that day.
The mastermind behind organizing the event is Fallston’s beloved PE teacher Mrs. Ryan. Her idea kindled over the summer, knowing that the 25th anniversary was right around the corner. She was eager “to start this project this year so [she] could iron out some things before making it really big next year.” Though our student body wasn’t around during these attacks, Mrs. Ryan says, “Walking a lap for each victim connects our students physically and emotionally to the act of remembrance.”
For many, 9/11 is a day that is hard to forget, and many emotions of that day stick with people. However, for Mrs. Ryan these emotions only deepened once she met her husband. She explains that “[she] was inspired to make this event because [her] father-in-law is a retired Lieutenant in the FDNY and was present for the 9-11 attacks on the world trade center.” His impact was crucial in the search and rescue of victims.
As a community, everyone’s contribution mattered to the end goal; however, there was one student who went above and beyond. Zach Shimaitis, a Junior here at Fallston, ran six miles during his PE class, contributing 24 laps. Zach shares his experience saying, “Even though I was just training for my cross-country meet, being a part of Laps of Legacy reminded me that each lap had meaning beyond the miles.” Aside from Zach, other kids from Mr. Hoover’s and Mrs. Canatella’s classes came down to the track to participate in the event as well.
As mentioned above, this was the first Memorial Walk for the 9/11 heroes here at Fallston but not the last. Mrs. Ryan shares that she hopes “it becomes a lasting tradition here at Fallston, so future students also have the opportunity to remember, reflect, and walk together in honor.”
