One year ago most students on the North Olympic Peninsula knew little about terrorist attacks, life in Afghanistan and the al-Qaida.
Following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, children now discuss the attacks and the war on terrorism, and freely use the terminology.
“It has been interesting to watch,” said Erik Nelson, a world problems teacher at Port Townsend High School.
“Sept. 11 really opened (students’) eyes. It really brought it home and showed that anything is possible.”
Nelson said many students in his class, which consists of seniors, have taken an interest in the news and know much more about what is going on in the world than they did a year ago.
During class on Wednesday’s anniversary of the terrorist attacks, students will watch a video of clips Nelson has collected about the attacks, and discuss the current status of the war and review decisions the United States has made during the past year.
Many other teachers on the North Olympic Peninsula will also discuss the attacks in class with the aid of videotaped programs and newspaper and magazine articles from throughout the year.
——————
The rest of this story appears in the Tuesday Peninsula Daily News. Click on SUBSCRIBE to get the PDN delivered to your home or office.