Exiting the stadium following the climb, students were instructed to read the name aloud and ring a bell in tribute.
MHS sophomore Madison Asbrock, whose father is a U.S. Army first sergeant, said she rang a bell for John Dennis Levi, an New York City police officer who died on 9/11.
Asbrock said that during the event, “I think about the remembrance of the people who gave their lives to try and help the people.”
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
Katie Lay, a Miamisburg High social studies teacher who co-founded the school’s 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb in 2021, said the stair climb gives students an appreciation, respect and understanding that the only way in and out of the Twin Towers was through the stairs.
“It creates a connection to an event that they otherwise just feel like is another event in the history book,” Lay said.
The stair climb, now in its fifth year, included 500 MHS students, 40 staffers, 11 Miami Valley Fire District members, 25 active-duty U.S. military and 14 law enforcement personnel from various departments, she said.
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
She said MHS is the only school within at least three states that offers such an event at the high school level.
“The nearest high school that I can find that does one is located in Texas,” Lay said.
Miami High junior Brody Sanders, whose father is a Miami Valley Fire District battalion chief, said the stair climb event “means a lot” to him.
“Having a dad (who is a) first responder, you kind of understand what those guys went through that day, and considering we weren’t born then ... it means a lot to figure out kind of what they went through,” he said.
9/11 is important to remember, Sanders said, “because of all the innocent lives that were lost.”
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
Brody’s father, Nick Sanders, said the stair climb event is a reminder that “there’s something bigger out there and events that certainly changed history.”
“We don’t ever want to forget the police officers, firefighters, military, everyone that gave their life,” he said.
As a firefighter, ringing the bell following the stair climb “really means a lot because it’s kind of your way of saying ‘goodbye’ to that person that you were walking for,” Sanders said.
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
Zachary Abshire, a U.S. Army staff sergeant for eight years, said “what it means for me is community building, showing my support for those who cannot be here, showing them that ‘Hey, it happened before my time, but I’m still serving, continuing traditions that were set forth before me, and it’s a huge reason why I serve.”
He said seeing students participate in the event helped him keep climbing.
“There’s plenty of times where my legs want to give out, but I see these kids going and that motivates me,” Abshire said.
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