ACTC honors 9/11 anniversary with touching tribute

Published on Sep 12, 2024

What does 9/11 mean to you? 

 “It means to never forget the ones we lost that day”, was one of the many responses received during a 9/11 Tribute held at College Drive Campus of Ashland Community & Technical College on Wednesday. 

To help never forget, AmeriCorps service members who serve as College Coaches for ACTC’s Student Support Services office held three ceremonies at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1 p.m. to discuss the time stamps of what happened on the day of September 11, 2001. 

“As AmeriCorps members, we wanted to do something to honor 9/11 but wanted to make it accessible to the majority of students,” shared Mikala Menshouse, ACTC College Coach. 

Each meeting featured a speaker to share their recollection of the events of 9/11 followed by a moment of silence. 

ACTC Professor, Warren Howard, Chief Student Affairs Officer, Steve Woodburn, and Academic Advisor, Ron McDavid each shared their perspective during the meetings. 

“For a very brief moment, I witnessed America all being on the same page and loving one another unconditionally,” Woodburn shared in his speech. 

Cards were handed out to students, faculty, and staff to capture what 9/11 means to them. 

Responses among the staff, faculty and students included:

“It is so important to show love to the world.”

“A time to rebuild and come together.”

“To take as much time with the ones we love.”

“No good comes from hate and violence.”

“Pain, change, hope, but above all, love for each other.” 

Howard concluded his speech during the 9 a.m. meeting by offering a word of hope, “The best thing to do when disaster strikes is to be better to each other.”