September 11, 2001 will forever be remembered as a time of destruction which felt as if a knife struck our delicate, fragile hearts. As the Twin Towers fell to the ground, hearts shattered. Families and friends grieved the loss of their loved ones and still continue to do so. This day is mostly remembered with anger, pain, and sorrow, but the Mineola High School community participates in a special day of service to honor and remember the events of September 11, 2001. MHS recognizes the acts of kindness following the days after the great tragedy in their annual Day of Service and Remembrance. 

Every year Mineola High School honors the events of 9.11 by giving back to the world. Mrs.Claudia Rudnet and Mrs.Eileen Burke are in charge of the Student Service Center and help organize this special event. They start off this event by informing students to go to the cafeteria right after school on September 11 to participate in their event. In the cafeteria, hundreds of students gather and make sandwiches and cookie snack bags which were donated to the INN Youth Board. Mrs. Rudnet said, "We just made 800 sandwiches, which will make a big difference in the lives of those who really need our help." In just 12 minutes, 800 sandwiches and 450 cookie snack bags were made. That is incredible. After the sandwich making part of the event is done, students go to the patio where the tree ceremony takes place. This ceremony involves watering a tree that was planted in honor of 9.11. The story behind the tree is that it represents the "Survivor Tree" located in the World Trade Center Memorial. 

The "Survivor Tree" was crushed by the falling twin towers. Workers sifted through debris for weeks because they simply could not ignore any sign of life. The workers found the Callery pear tree and brought the 8-foot stump up to the Arthur Ross Nursery in Van Cortland Park in the Bronx and coaxed the tree back to life with fertilizer and careful pruning. The tree represents a "wounded soldier" who survived against all odds. This tree symbolizes renewal and serves as a reminder that we can get through anything. All of us are soldiers. Mineola High School planted their own "Survivor a Tree" with a plaque that reads, "We Honor, We Help, We Heal: In loving memory of the lives that were lost and for the courage of those who survived." Each student pours a cup of water silently as they share their thoughts and prayers to those who died, those who survived, and those who lost their loved ones. Mrs.Eileen Burke said, "On September 11, 2001, fire caused death, destruction, pain, and anger that still lasts today. But we choose to end this memorial with the opposite of fire, WATER. Throughout history, water has symbolized rebirth and renewal." Students silently poured water and offered their prayers as Jake Lenze sang "America the Beautiful." 
           Mineola High School is part of a small village, but that day we were big. We made a difference. A big, beautiful difference. We honored, helped, and healed and couldn't have done it without the help from students and teachers. This Day of Service and Remembrance shows that humans are capable of conquering any tragedy that falls upon them if they unite.