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Oconomowoc Sept. 11 ceremony features high school students
As the country nears 25 years since the tragic attacks of Sept. 11, Oconomowoc is making sure no one forgets. Oconomowoc High School students are participating in an event described as a ‘history lesson’ for one of the involved groups.
OCONOMOWOC, Wis. - As the country nears 25 years since the tragic attacks of Sept. 11, Oconomowoc is making sure no one forgets. Oconomowoc High School students are participating in an event described as a ‘history lesson’ for one of the involved groups.
Student preparations
What we know:
It is only the first week of classes at Oconomowoc High School, but this may be a lesson students will keep forever.
"My heart is heavy for them and for the country at that time, but they truly went through it," senior Mia Kollath said.
These juniors and seniors are in an extracurricular group called "Gold Vibrations." They are often asked to sing at gatherings and ceremonies in Oconomowoc. Next week, they will lend their voices to the city's Sept. 11 remembrance.
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"It's a very big deal. So, I want to try and bring as much respect and honor to them as I can," junior Ethan Burns said.
There is no doubt they can hit the right note, but the lesson comes with discussions and feelings of a time long before they were born.
"I immediately think about the voicemails that were sent from the plane…It's just absolutely terrible," senior Molly Borens said.
The students rely on others to help understand what the national tragedy felt like at home.
"In those moments, there was a lot of fear, but in the days that followed, the way the country came together has stayed with me all of these years," choir teacher Beth Kauffeld said.
9/11 ceremony set
What we know:
The annual ceremony started in Oconomowoc with one man, Don Gust, playing Taps. His heart broke when no one in the community held a ceremony to remember Sept. 11, so Gust and his wife, Jill, started their own.
"I guess it's patriotism. It drew me out," Oconomowoc resident Don Gust said.
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It has now grown to a community gathering at Village Green Park with first responders, military members, and importantly, high school students.
"I would say, first, thank you for participating and secondly…never forget," Gust said.
The ceremony starts at 7:30 in the morning next Friday. Again, it will be held at Village Green Park downtown.
Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6's Bret Lemoine and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from Mia Kollath, Ethan Burns, Molly Borens, Beth Kauffeld, Don Gust, Jill Gust and FOX6 News reporting.