By Jolene Farley
The terrorist attacks on Sept. 11 left many children and young adults wondering what could be done to show support or to help the victims of the tragedies.
Many area schools came up with creative ways and programs to help students deal with the emotional aftermath of the attacks and show support for victims and their country.
"The way our kids have dealt with it shows we have really strong families here," said Adrian Elementary School Principal Russ Lofthus.
Families, school staff, churches and society have provided support for kids, helping them to deal with the events of Sept. 11, according to Lofthus.
Pastor Mike Zaske of Zion Lutheran Church was invited to talk at Adrian Elementary about the meaning of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
In a monthly Adrian school newsletter, students were each asked to give $1 to Afghanistan Children's Fund to help the children in that country. This plea raised $70 to help Afghan children.
"The whole concept of patriotism has risen to the forefront," said Lofthus. Schools are more diligent about saying the Pledge of Allegiance and sponsoring other patriotic programs.
Earlier this month, Adrian students participated in "United We Sing," along with other children across the country. Students sang "God Bless America" and other patriotic songs.
The American Legion Color Guard attended the event, providing the flag ceremony. Legion member Rod Scheidt presented a patriotic program.
Adrian Elementary students recite the Pledge of Allegiance school-wide every Monday morning, and students recently took part in gathering around the flagpole to say the Pledge of Allegiance simultaneously with many other students across the country.
Adrian Elementary School also sponsored a Family Fun Night attended by more than 650 students and parents. The school hoped to provide a fun evening designed to help relieve tensions caused by the Sept. 11 attacks. The event was successful, according to Lofthus.
Hills-Beaver Creek students have also wondered how to show their support for the victims and their country.
H-BC Elementary School students began to gather spare change. Depositing money into a Vikings bank in the hall of their school, students raised $543.
Students also completed postcards through a program called "Computers for Students" with a total of 128 out of 160 students turning in booklets of postcards for the program.
Rather than using their points for technology, students used the cash option which raised another $550 to donate to the American Red Cross and the relief effort.
H-BC High School students also wondered what they could do to help. "We felt like we had to do something to support them, to help out," said Hills-Beaver Creek Industrial Arts instructor Gregg Ebert.
Two H-BC Industrial Arts classes decided they wanted to do a stained glass project and donate the proceeds to the Red Cross.
The patriotic bench, portraying the World Trade Center, the firefighters, and an eagle against a backdrop of stars and stripes, was much more advanced than any project they had tried before.
The bench is complete but plans to give the proceeds to the American Red Cross have changed. Since the Red Cross is no longer taking donations, the piece will be auctioned off, with proceeds donated to the Hills and Beaver Creek fire departments, according to Ebert.
Even though their donation didn't work out as planned, students "were happy to support people who got hurt in the World Trade Center."
At Luverne Elementary School, in addition to a patriotic assembly, students responded to President George W. Bush's request that all American children send $1 to a child in war-torn Afghanistan.
By selling red, white and blue ribbons for $1 each, the school has so far raised $680. In addition, classrooms have decided to donate money from their Make a Difference Jars to the cause as well.
The Sept. 11 attacks spurred some poignant moments at Ellsworth Public School, according to Superintendent George Berndt.
The most touching was when all the students lined up in the hall to sing "God Bless America." The moment "hit home pretty good," according to Berndt.