As a part of their study of the events leading up to and following Sept. 11, 2001, Lisa Godley’s sixth-grade students at Chocowinity Middle School took part in related activities, including classwork and a visit from the Chocowinity Volunteer Fire Department on Sept. 15.

The class watched video clips and created time lines showing the events before and after that tragic day.  Students also discussed the roles firefighters and police officers played in helping with the recovery efforts related to the 9/11 attacks.

Near the end of the week, students wrote thank-you letters to their local fire department, thanking it for the many jobs the department does to ensure their safety each and every day. Tommy Pendley, CVFD fire chief; Toby Cole, fire captain; and firefighters Brian Lanning and Greg Graham talked with students about 9/11 and showed many items like those firefighters used in their recovery efforts after the attacks. At the end of the presentation, students were placed in four small groups and allowed to wear fire-fighting gear, handle and examine equipment and talk with the firefighters.