Ten years ago on September 11th 2001, Ashllie Jenkins, a fifth grader at Bates academy in Detroit, was exposed to an event that would only become clear in meaning years later. After several students were picked up by their parents, Jenkins remembers hearing from her elementary school teachers, the basics concerning the tragic event. No details or close to home connections, besides a fellow classmate whose father was employed in D.C and came to pick the child up from school that day, would occur which made this tragedy even more distant and non-relatable for Jenkins at the time. Due to Jenkins mom being a school teacher at another school she was not dismissed early like her classmates had been. Returning home with her mother they watched coverage of the event on several news stations.
When asked what stood out the most about that day Jenkins stated how “localized” the event was for her. This day was an Election Day for the city of Detroit and she remembered being upset that people wouldn’t get out their votes because the city was in such a stir from the news of the attacks. She asked herself, “Why would they do this on our Election Day?” Reflecting on this day Ashllie Jenkins, currently a sophomore attending Michigan State University says, “I didn’t understand the magnitude of the situation because of me being such a young age.” After seeing the story being reported every day for about a year after it occurred, she finally realized the importance of this day. ” I didn’t get that it would be a defining moment in history.” After interviewing Jenkins it seemed as if her youthful age and unawareness of similar acts of terrorism worked against her generation of children and their understanding of the importance of 9-11.
No comments:
Post a Comment