Oshkosh North students mark 9/11 anniversary with day of service

OSHKOSH, Wis. (WBAY) — Friday marks 25 years since the September 11, 2001, terror attacks. Roughly 100 million people have been born since that day, but young people across the country, including students at Oshkosh North High School, are taking part in a movement to reclaim the day for service projects and acts of kindness.

The Day of Service became the subject of a documentary, “9/11 Day,” which featured Oshkosh North High School students.

Students collect donations, volunteer around Oshkosh

Brad Weber, Communities instructor at Oshkosh North, said students have gone out into the community for the last seven years to mark 9/11 Day.

“So on 9/11, for the last seven years, our students have gone out in the community and tried to take a day of tragedy and turn it into a day of good deeds,” Weber said.

Weber said students have worked with nonprofit organizations that need volunteers.

“And on this day, we go and we do things that they just don’t have time, that slips down on that priority list,” he said.

Weber said on this eighth year of service, students will spend the afternoon at the Christine Ann Center and will help the Winnebago County Housing Authority.

In the morning, students collect donations from neighborhood associations to work with the United Way to support nonprofits and help families get services they need.

Lizzie Mueller, an Oshkosh North junior, said she will volunteer at the Christine Ann Center doing beautification work. She said other students will volunteer at the Humane Society and at Aiken Acres, beautifying green space and an outside classroom, along with other organizations around town.

Mueller said she was not born at the time of the September 11 attacks but wanted to take part in the day of service.

“I think it’s really important for me and also like kids my age to be a part of it,” Mueller said. “It’s about honoring and remembering the service members and just the tragedy that it was. But it’s also about taking that and trying to mimic that sense of unity again.”

“I really think that’s what it is,” she said.

Alumna reflects on years of service

Allie Leib, an Oshkosh North alumna, has participated in the day of service in the past.

“I think the biggest thing is finding out why we’re going out to serve,” Leib said. “I think Communities does an amazing job of giving us a definition to choose for ourselves about what we’re going to make for this day.”

Leib said she volunteered at the Tiny House Village in the past, doing cleanup and pulling weeds. She also volunteered at the Christine Ann Center for a couple of years, helping the organization move into its new building.

“That was a really rewarding experience as well,” Leib said. “So just finding different opportunities around and the people who need us in the communities who need us.”

Students, teacher featured in “9/11 Day” documentary

Weber said being featured in the documentary about 9/11 Day was exciting.

“Exciting. Right. And, and an honor,” Weber said. “As we’ve studied over the years some of our heroes, to know that we were going to be in a documentary also with those heroes that have inspired us to do these days of good deeds, really fun, and then to be able to see it on the big screen.”

Weber said the documentary gave context to the work the program already does in Oshkosh.

“It’s just what we do in our program. It’s what we do here in Oshkosh,” Weber said. “But then to see it on a national level and highlighted that way was really rewarding.”

Weber was teaching when the September 11, 2001, attacks happened. He said he sees similarities between that time and now.

“There I was, third year teacher trying to, in real time, make sense of what was happening with my students,” Weber said. “And I look 25 years later, and that’s the same thing we’re doing now, trying to help them make sense of that day.”

Weber said the day of service is meant to honor the attacks, those who lost loved ones and the spirit that followed the attacks.

“That’s what we’re trying to honor and remember” Weber said, “and at least for one day, have everybody unite and do that again.”

Mueller said she remembered being filmed for the documentary and watching it a year later.

“I remember them being like in the room last year. So I remember like getting filmed and then a year later seeing it and then seeing all the people who were affected by it as well, like people who thought it was a really good thing,” Mueller said.

Mueller said seeing other schools featured in the documentary gave her a sense of fulfillment.

“Like, oh, we did something good and we were recognized for it, and now we can show other people like that. They should also be going out and like doing the good thing as well,” Mueller said.

More information about the documentary is available at 911dayfilm.com.

An organization called 9.11 Day is hoping to get one million pledges for good deeds. Partner businesses include Delta Airlines, the NFL, AmeriCorps, and American Express.