Sunday, the nation will commemorate 10-years after the most tragic attack on American soil, the September 11th terrorist attacks.
In some ways the fear, anxiety, and uncertainty of that day remains with the people who remember it.
Hemlock High School shows red, white, and blue.
An assembly earlier Friday brought students from all over the district together to remember what happened ten years ago.
For high school seniors, they were seven years old, but they still remember.
High school senior Emma Erickson says, "A lot's happened. A lot has changed. It's neat to see all the support that everybody's giving everybody that sacrificed their lives."
Even students who weren't living in America at the time still remember where they were and what they were feeling. High school senior Jamie Keck was living in Mexico on September 11th 2001. He says, "It was still kind of scary just to think that the war was being brought over to this side, you know. It's normally kept on the other side. It's scary to see that."
For educators, it was difficult to explain to such little ones the concept of terrorism.
Hemlock high school parapro Diane Mulvaney organized the 9-11 remembrance. She says, "You want to protect them from it, so it's very hard. You have to explain it to them because it's going to be in the news and in the papers. You try to understand their feelings and explain. It's all you can do."
For students, it's a reminder of a loss of innocence. A day when people found out anything can happen.
"It's just being aware of it. It came out of nowhere and being aware of it and our relationship with other nations," says Keck.
