Many Emerson High School students were looking forward to their pep rally on Sept. 17 to show their support for the football team who was facing Memorial High School that night.
Instead, the school’s seniors and athletes gathered into the gymnasium at noon to show their support to another group; the victims of the World Trade Center tragedy and their families.
"What we really wanted to do was heighten awareness," said Emerson High School Principal Frank Scarafile, who said that he wanted to regain a sense of normalcy within the school. "Then we want to try to move on."
Scarafile said that this event, which culminated with a moment of silence, was organized by the students.
"Many of the students were coming to me and asking what we were doing for the victims," said Scarafile, adding that the athletic team captains organized the event. "This is a hard age group to read. I know in some way they are affected; we just don’t know how."
Emerson High School football captain Maikel Hernandez remembered watching the attack on the World Trade Center on television during his mathematics class on Sept. 11.
"I was really shocked," said Hernandez who helped organize the event. "No one knew what to say."
"I felt horrible," said Band Captain Francesca Castro, who also helped to organize the event. "I just started crying."
At noon, the school’s athletes, wearing their blue and white uniforms and jerseys, and seniors filed into the gymnasium to watch the Emerson Junior ROTC present the colors. They then stood at attention while Cheerleading Captain Xiomare Ramiriz sang the national anthem.
After singing the national anthem a second time, altogether, the students formed a U on New York Avenue where they observed a moment of silence to remember the victims of the tragedy. Music Teacher Vin Mazzilli played "taps" from a second story window on his trumpet.
"I am grateful to be part of the ceremony today," said Castro. "There are so many families who have suffered."