ESL students at Proctor High School are learning about the terror attacks of 9-11. They’re not just being told what happened, but what led up to the event, and how it’s affecting the world today. The students may have trouble understanding what’s being said, but their teacher, Susan Kahn, doesn’t have any trouble explaining what happened.

"I think when I teach this particular topic, I can teach it with a real true passion because I lived through it. So, it’s not different. I try to like infuse passion in everything I do, but I think in this one especially it’s… you don’t have to try."

The students might not grasp how important the history is, at least not yet, but the older generation wants to make sure the message gets through. Remembering what happened, even if you weren’t around when it happened. Ilion Marina Dock Master Don Sterling was the Master of Ceremonies during a memorial service at the Ilion Marina. 

"After 18 years, we don’t want it to be forgotten. It’s bringing in respect to the ones that’s graduating today from High School who weren’t even born yet or just born so."

That message is being taught to the students at Proctor, and Susan Khan explains how it will help them to understand -why- it has a meaning to them.

"I hope that they get that history and all of the social sciences are something that’s real and impactful. It’s not just this like, something that happened in the old day’s kind of thing. That everything’s inter-related, and that things that are happening now will change things in the future too."

No one knows that better than Assemblyman Robert Smullen. He served 3 tours in Afghanistan immediately following the attacks. He’s now charged with shaping the laws that govern the way we live in New York. A state that still remains a terrorist target.

"It was the first time that we’ve been directly attacked, in this case by a terrorist organization, which is still out there, and everyone needs to be mindful of that."

Everyone... including the students who will one day shape our future.