"Osama bin Laden has destroyed America's property, but he has not and will not destroy America's spirit," Paula Sue Dubelt, chorus teacher at Andalusia High School, said Wednesday at the Sept. 11 assembly.

There were many tributes made to the victims and survivors. AHS held an assembly during second block where students and faculty spoke about their feelings when they heard about the attacks.

Mr. Pete Kelley, superintendent of Andalusia City Schools gave an emotional speech to the student body of how he felt and how he reacted when he found out about the attacks.

Steven Gunter, Josh Dutton and Keri Till, seniors at AHS, all told of their experiences also. They tried to put into words how confused, angry and sad they had felt when they found out about the shocking attacks. Then Coach Marshall Locke stood up and told how he felt when Mr. Kelley had told him about the attacks. Coach Locke had two aunts in New York and a brother that worked at the Pentagon. Luckily, all of them were safe. He said that when he didn't know, he was just filled with the worst pain, until a few hours later when they called and told them they were OK.

Mrs. Duebelt had the chorus sing patriotic songs. They also sang "A Bridge Over Troubled Water" which was combined with very well-done solos by Brian Capps and Gina Johnson. Mr. John Beasley, teacher at AHS, accompanied the chorus with piano.

The Andalusia High School Band played "Amazing Grace" and "The Star Spangled Banner" to close the program.

Along with the programs at schools and at the Square in town, there was constant television memorial programs. I watched a couple of them.

One was about the 63 children born after Sept. 11, that will never get to meet their fathers because they worked in one of the buildings or were going to try to help the people get out of the buildings.

As I sat there and watched the program, I started thinking about how lucky I am. I didn't even know anyone that was there. I didn't have to worry about my loved ones. I knew where they were. I began to feel really lucky that, even though I get mad at my parents and I don't agree with them all the time, they are at least still here to make me mad.

My

heart really goes out to all the people that lost family or friends in the attacks on Sept. 11. It makes me sad to think about all the children that won't ever get the chance to argue with their parent because of the pointless attack.