Students Sing National Anthem To Commemorate Sept. 11

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Fourteen years ago, the nation stopped, attacked in what then-president Bush called the Pearl Harbor of the 21st century.

On Friday, the anniversary of 9/11, thousands of children around the country paused to sing the National Anthem.

As Gigi Barnett reports, for many of them, the attacks are a history lesson.

Under the shadow of Fort McHenry's massive flag, the Star Spangled Banner can be heard across the park.

The singers are all Baltimore area students here to mark the 14th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

"It's sad to know what monstrosities humans can do," said one student singer.

Fort McHenry is just one location among thousands across the country hosting the singing of the national anthem.

"If you're going to sing the national anthem, you have to have Fort McHenry because this is the birthplace of the Star Spangled Banner," said park ranger Vince Vaise.

Right at 1 p.m. Eastern Time, at least 250,000 students started singing.

Christina Doepel teaches history at Greenbelt middle school in Prince George's County. She says the fort offers a history lesson for students, but singing the anthem teaches her students that the nation can withstand terror attacks.

"Nothing knocks us down," said Doepel. "We're going to keep going no matter what."

About 1,500 children attended this event, and many of them weren't even born on Sept. 11.

"To some of them, it's just something that happened really long ago," said Doepel. "But coming to these places helps them understand."

Many schools across the country also paused classes at 1 p.m. Friday to sing the National Anthem.