Twenty-five years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Boise State students continue to honor the lives lost through an annual memorial organized by ASBSU.
Early this morning, ASBSU held its annual 9/11 memorial, giving students and members of the Boise State community an opportunity to remember the victims and reflect on the impact of the attacks.
The Boise State community planted 2,977 flags into the ground to symbolize all of the lives lost. The flags were split into two rectangular shapes to resemble the Twin Towers.
“By planting these flags today in their honor, I hope that we can kind of impart a little bit of that memory on you,” Uriah Watkins, Battalion Executive Officer in the U.S. Army and assistant professor of Military Science, said. He greeted community members as they arrived, thanking them for attending.
Over the years, the memorial has become an ASBSU tradition. Student government records from previous years include legislation that established an annual memorial service for the victims of 9/11 five years ago.
Caleb Perkins, Government Relations Officer in the ASBSU Executive Cabinet, expressed how much he values the memorial tradition. According to him, planning for the memorial began in early July. ASBSU members reached out to campus stakeholders, university administration and ROTC to bring the event together.
“It’s really important just to honor and continue that tradition that has been established for years past,” Perkins said.
Nearly 3,000 lives were lost in the attack after four commercial airline planes were hijacked and used in coordinated attacks in New York City, Washington, D.C and Pennsylvania.
For many students, Sept. 11 happened before they were born. The annual memorial gives the younger generation an opportunity to learn and recognize an event they know through family, history and school.
“Most of us were born post‑9/11, so we never lived through the event or saw the trauma families experienced. It’s an integral part of American history, and it’s important that we acknowledge it and honor that day,” Perkins said.
The event also gives Boise State students a chance to partake in the remembrance of the event on campus, rather than viewing the anniversary only as a national event.
Adam Cucci, president of the Republicans Club, was one of the attendees of the memorial. When asked why he attended the event, he expressed the importance of remembering the event.
“I came out to remember the day and represent my club. I’m the president of the College Republicans, so it felt important to be here… Something about all the American flags, 2,977 of them, really hits you,” Cucci said.
Once all 2,977 flags were planted into the ground, attendees took a moment to admire the scene and pay respects to all of the lives lost.
“Just count your blessings. Understand that we live in the freest, the greatest country on earth, and don’t take that for granted… it all comes at a cost, and that cost is our armed service men and women,” Watkins said.
For ASBSU, the memorial is intended to continue for years to educate students and remember the events of Sept. 11.
