As the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks approaches, New York City leaders are investing $1 million to make sure the next generation understands the history and legacy of the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil.
Julie Menin, Speaker of the New York City Council, announced Thursday tthat the council will direct $1 million to expand educational programming at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, including free field trips for all 20,000 New York City public school eighth graders.
The announcement was made during a morning news conference outside the Oculus at the World Trade Center, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony honoring the nearly 3,000 people killed in the attacks.
The funding will expand existing museum programs, covering costs for student field trips, audio guides, school outreach and educator training. According to the museum, about 75% of the funding will be used to provide free visits for eighth-grade students, with each trip costing an estimated $23 per student.
The initiative comes as fewer Americans have firsthand memories of Sept. 11. Beth Hillman, president and CEO of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, recently noted that roughly 100 million Americans alive today were not old enough to remember the attacks.
"As we approach the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11, it is more important than ever that a new generation of New Yorkers understands what happened that day and carries forward the stories of those we lost," Menin said in a statement.
Fifth grader Noah Etheridge is just learning about what happened on September 11th.
"To me, it's just remembering the loss. And, like, grieving the loss of the people who, like, died and the people who are still surviving," he said. "And it's, like, thanking the firefighters and everyone who helped. I think it's just honorable to remember them. And remember what they did."
Kristy Etheridge is Noah's mother.
"A lot of the teachers at his school are too young to remember, some of the newer teachers," she said. "I want him to know what happened, and I want him to know how the country came together afterwards. I want him to know the sacrifices of the firefighters-they really risked their lives, for him and for us-and that a lot of them gave their lives 25 years ago."
Lena Daniel and Lorena Albright and are tourists from Oregon, born three years after 9/11.
"I think being here, like, really makes a difference. And really seeing these two spots is, like, insane," Albright said. "I feel like a lot of younger generations... I don't think they do know the magnitude of what happened. And even though I wasn't alive, I feel like back then, we were getting more of the story and more education about it than kids are today."
The Council's investment will also support the museum's educational programs beyond the classroom. About $250,000 will fund virtual learning initiatives, including online field trips and teaching materials designed for students and educators outside New York City and those unable to visit the museum in person.
Funding will also bolster the museum's Anniversary Digital Learning Experience, which features firsthand accounts from a Sept. 11 survivor, an NYPD first responder and family members of victims, along with classroom resources tailored to different grade levels.
The announcement follows the museum's broader effort to engage younger generations with no personal memory of the attacks. Earlier this week, the institution unveiled "In Their Honor," a new exhibition exploring how New Yorkers responded in the aftermath of Sept. 11 through community service, art and remembrance.
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