In my seventh-grade science class

By Gregory Hintz: Sept. 11, 2001, started as any other day for me. Mom woke me up; I got ready for school and made my normal half-mile walk to Roosevelt Middle School. My first class was social studies, which came and went, but at the beginning of my second-period class -- science with Mr. Wibe -- our principal, Mrs. Cleveland, came over the intercom with an announcement.

Most of us, at first, blew it off as just another announcement, but something drastically changed when it wasn't someone needed in the office or a notice of a fire or tornado drill. No. Her words will be etched in my mind forever: "There has been some type of attack on the United States in New York City. We don't have the full details yet ..."

It was the most mind-numbing experience I have ever gone through. Being a 12-year-old boy, I was scared to death! The teachers were so shocked by the announcement, every class from there till the end of day had news channels on the TV going. It's probably a good thing they didn't try teaching a lesson, because no one would've learned or listened after being told of the attacks.

Throughout the day, every class would be missing a couple more kids than the last. By lunch, half the students in my grade level had been pulled out by their parents. I remember walking home and just looking up at the sky, wondering, "How could've all this happened? Who would do such an evil thing?"

I remember how you couldn't find a flag in a store because they had all been sold. I remember seeing people waving flags on busy streets and holding signs full of patriotic-themed phrases. "God Bless the USA!" was played over our intercom at school, followed by our music teacher, Mr. Muters, singing the best national anthem I have ever heard.

Sept. 11, 2001, for me, is a day that I will never forget. May God truly bless those who lost someone, and to those who were lost, rest in peace.