SOMBER REFLECTIONS FROM CLASS OF 9-11.Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer SANTA CLARITA Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, - Members of the Santa Clarita Valley's Class of 2005, collecting their high school diplomas A high school diploma is a diploma awarded for the completion of high school. In the United States and Canada, it is considered the minimum education required for government jobs and higher education. An equivalent is the GED. this week, were just a few weeks into freshman year when terrorism changed America. The graduates saw their high school years marked by the events and aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorists hijacked passenger jets and crashed them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania, killing more than 3,000 people. Some are calling this year's graduates the Class of 9-11. Students from four area high schools said the attacks, even though they happened on the opposite coast, definitely changed their lives. ``Family became a lot more important,'' said Saugus senior Jessica Ruiz. ``We always say goodbye, even if we're only going out for a little while. What did we know of terrorism before? Now everyone has opinions about the war. It changed our culture.'' ``It motivated me to make the most of high school, knowing our lives could be over in an instant,'' classmate Amanda Allegra Al·leg·ra A trademark for the drug fexofenadine hydrochloride. fexofenadine hydrochloride Allegra, Telfast (UK) Pharmacologic class: Peripherally selective piperidine, selective histamine said. ``I paid a lot more attention to what was going on out in the world. And as sad as it is, it brought us closer together.'' If there were a unifing thread among the students, it was an admission that many of them took things for granted. ``It made me appreciate where I live,'' said Greg Bono of Valencia High. ``The whole war, the whole experience taught us what a great place this is.'' ``It was something that never happened to our country before, so it was a shock,'' Canyon High student Tenesha Sanders San´ders n. 1. An old name of sandalwood, now applied only to the red sandalwood. See under Sandalwood. said. ``I went to Ground Zero with our choir last month, and I still had a hard time believing it happened. I was speechless speech·less adj. 1. Lacking the faculty of speech. 2. Temporarily unable to speak, as through astonishment. 3. Refraining from speech; silent. 4. . Don't take life for granted.'' Canyon's Lauren Benson, who hopes to study nursing in Atlanta, is still afraid to fly. The father of classmate Brooke Sword is a captain with the Los Angeles County Fire Department Not to be confused with Los Angeles Fire Department. The Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD), serves unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County, as well as 58 cities and towns that choose to have the county provide fire and EMS services, including the City of La . Seeing the overwhelming loss of firefighters in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. , she was afraid her father might be called to work and suffer a similar fate. ``I was afraid something like that would happen in L.A.,'' Sword said. ``I've been nervous all four years.'' Cultural discrimination was a passing concern for Hart student Kamran Pourkazemi, who is Iranian. ``I was teased tease v. teased, teas·ing, teas·es v.tr. 1. To annoy or pester; vex. 2. To make fun of; mock playfully. 3. a bit by people at school, but I didn't think my family was in danger. This country's not stupid like that. I'm more worried that I might be drafted.'' With the country at war in Iraq, many young men are concerned that the draft might be reinstituted by Congress. Young women say they fear for boyfriends who have volunteered for the armed forces. Valencia student Ryan Caskey has enlisted en·list·ed adj. Of, relating to, or being a member of a military rank below a commissioned officer or warrant officer. enlisted Adjective in the Marines, proudly wearing a USMC T-shirt to school. ``9-11 decided things for me,'' said the future infantryman with close- cropped hair. ``I remember the whole day. I woke up because my mom let out a ridiculous scream. I saw it on TV and thought it was a regular fire in L.A. I couldn't believe something like that could happen.'' A heightened awareness in world affairs Noun 1. world affairs - affairs between nations; "you can't really keep up with world affairs by watching television" international affairs affairs - transactions of professional or public interest; "news of current affairs"; "great affairs of state" , a breakdown in barriers between cultural groups and an appreciation for friends and family seem to be the good that came from the freshman tragedy. ``We could have lost so much more, but we're moving on and learning how to prevent things like this from happening,'' said Canyon student Kyle Morrell. ``It helped the soul of our country, and we became more patriotic. I saw a lot more flags flying on houses.'' ``We look at our country in a different way now,'' said Hart student Ashley MacInnis. ``There is more patriotism Patriotism See also Chauvinism, Loyalty. America, Captain comic-strip character known as the “protector of the American way.” [Comics: Horn, 155–156] American elm traditional symbol of American patriotism. , more school spirit and pride in our school.'' Nick Bajada from Hart, who lived in New Jersey in 2001, said cliques disappeared from campuses after the event. ``I remember the unity. It helped me realize that no one is different.'' Carol Rock, (661) 257-5252 carol.rock(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) Seniors at Hart High School Hart High School may refer to:
(2) Chelsea Baker, left, and Chelsea Rollins, graduates of Hart High, sign each other's yearbook. David Crane/Staff Photographer |
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