September 11, 2026 — Twenty-five years after the tragic events of September 11, 2001, remembrance was heard and seen across the Cobb County School District. It was seen in the measured steps of cadets climbing stadium stairs, in the careful raising of American flags, and in the red, white, and blue across our schools. 

Today, students know 9/11 as history rather than a memory. Through ceremonies, tributes, and lessons about sacrifice, Cobb educators and community members helped them understand why the events of that day must never be forgotten. 

Patriot Day remains deeply significant. Allatoona, Hillgrove, and Kennesaw Mountain high schools held remembrance ceremonies, while Wheeler High School hosted a commemorative stair climb. Students and staff across the District also observed Patriot Day by wearing red, white, and blue. 

At Kennesaw Mountain High School, NJROTC cadets gathered at the flagpole with first responders to reflect on the lives lost and recognize the people who responded with extraordinary bravery. 

“Honor, courage, and commitment are the things we really stress to them,” said retired U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. John Butler, a Naval Science instructor at KMHS. “Even though they weren’t alive when this happened, these events matter, and there’s a reason it’s called Patriot Day.” 

For Kennesaw Mountain JROTC student Jayden Nanton, the ceremony carried a personal connection. His father is on active duty in the U.S. Navy and has served in Iraq and Afghanistan as a hospital corpsman and chief petty officer. 

“I joined the JROTC because I want to be more like my father,” Jayden said. 

The lessons his father shared helped Jayden understand both the historic weight of September 11 and the responsibility younger generations have to remember it. 

“My dad taught me many things about today—how we should respect and honor the more than 3,000 people, and recognize that this was one of the darkest days in this country’s history,” he said. 

At Allatoona High School, 71 NJROTC cadets participated in a remembrance ceremony alongside firefighters and other first responders. The ceremony included military drill movements, a flag detail, and other carefully practiced elements intended to honor those who died. 

Gunnery Sgt. Matthew McLean, a retired Marine and Naval Science instructor, helped bring the ceremony to Allatoona after joining the school. He said the cadets spent approximately three weeks preparing. In addition to practicing their ceremonial duties, students watched documentaries and learned more about what happened on September 11. McLean graduated from boot camp only three days before the attacks and later served in Iraq. He said veterans and JROTC instructors feel a responsibility to keep the history of that day alive for students who were not yet born. 

“You can’t ever forget history, or it will repeat itself,” McLean said. “Sometimes we feel like it’s our obligation to keep that going so they understand the importance of it.” 

For Allatoona senior Pierce Matchett, participating in the ceremony was unlike most other high school experiences. He said the number of cadets involved required focus, preparation, and teamwork to ensure that everything—from handling the ceremonial rifles to raising the flag—was done correctly. 

“You shouldn’t forget history like this because it’s something that we can learn from,” Pierce said. “Those people who sacrificed their lives deserve to be remembered.” 

At Wheeler High School, students honored the fallen through physical action. AFJROTC cadets climbed 2,200 steps in the school’s football stadium, representing the World Trade Center’s 110 stories. Cadets participated throughout the school day in remembrance of the FDNY firefighters, other first responders, and all who lost their lives on September 11. 

“The significance of the event and what it represents is that we will never forget,” said Post 5 Board Member John Cristadoro. “It is incumbent upon us as citizens to continue remembering, each and every year, the lives that were lost.” 

For Col. Tom Butler, Senior Aerospace Science Instructor, the observance helps bridge two very different generational experiences of September 11. 

“To 100 million Americans, 9/11 is a history lesson. These cadets are part of that 100 million,” Butler said. “To other Americans, it is about as real as anything we have ever experienced.” 

The stair climb also reinforces one of JROTC’s central lessons: honoring those who served before its current cadets. 

“We are paying tribute to all of the first responders who went into harm’s way and responded to 9/11,” he said. “We’re getting a look at what it’s like to run toward danger and not away.” 

Wheeler senior Julia Obewu said each cadet completed 50 laps, approximately equal to the height of the towers. 

Cobb County Fire and Emergency Services Battalion Chief Jason Jones and the crew of Engine No. 3 joined the cadets for the observance. 

“It’s about remembering those who gave all and sharing that with these kids who weren’t born yet,” Jones said.

At Hillgrove High School, students and staff gathered around the flagpole for their own 25th-anniversary remembrance ceremony. The observance joined the districtwide effort to ensure that the meaning of September 11 continues to be shared with a new generation. 

The commemorations extended beyond the district’s high schools. At Pitner, Eastvalley, Russell elementary schools, and other schools across the District, students and staff wore red, white, and blue for Patriot Day. These age-appropriate observances allowed younger students to participate in a shared expression of gratitude and national remembrance. Although each school observed the anniversary in its own way, the events carried a common message: remembering September 11 is not limited to those who witnessed it. It is a responsibility passed from one generation to the next. 

Across Cobb Schools, each flag raised, solemn tribute, and determined step carried a lasting promise: We will never forget.