High school students are too young to have experienced 9/11, which arguably is the most somber day of America’s 21st century history.

On Thursday, which marked the 24th anniversary of the attacks by terrorists on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, a full day of activities occurred at Panther Valley Junior/Senior High School.

Classrooms showed footage from Sept. 11, 2001.

The Student Council created a large American flag with 2,977 stars — one for each victim. JROTC students set up a patriotic lobby display, while Life Skills students decorated every locker with red, white, or blue stars.

At the beginning of the day, students watched as the school’s large flag was lowered to half-staff. A bugler played taps.

The History Club of the school put together a slideshow that explained the events of the world which preceded the attacks, the rise of al-Qaida and the recovery from the attacks. The presentation showed President George W. Bush speaking to elementary children when he learned that the terrorist attacks were occurring.

Principal Patricia Ebbert announced on the intercom at the exact times the attacks occurred. At 8:46, she said the Flight 11 crashed into Tower 1 of the World Trade Center. At 9:03, she announced the second tower being hit. At 9:37, the plane crashed into the Pentagon. At 10:03, the final plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania as a result of resistance in the cockpit by heroic passengers.

Throughout the day, students wore patriotic colors, received silicone bracelets, and ate a cafeteria menu featuring “American food.” The school day concluded with the song “Little Did She Know She Kissed a Hero.”

Ebbert said many students don’t realize the significance of 9/11.

“That’s why we’re doing this,” she said.

She recalled being in a Philadelphia skyscraper that day, where people panicked and a woman in a wheelchair had to be carried down the steps. She also shared how the attacks affected her family: her son enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served four tours in Iraq.

The tragedy touched others in the school community as well. One teacher’s uncle was killed in the World Trade Center.

History teacher Ben Turrano, who was a child during the attacks, said his club wanted the slideshow to be entirely student-led: “I kept my words out of it. I wanted it to be a student project.”

Another teacher, Chris Nalesnik, recalled being in 10th grade when a colleague told his class to turn on the TV. Ebbert praised the students’ efforts.

“It’s really cool to see how the school came together,” she said.