On the morning of Monday, September 11th, 2023, Clark Magnet students gathered along,New York Avenue to watch the Patriot Day motorcade, which has been an annual event for about a decade. At approximately 9:00 a.m., Clark’s principal, Dr. Landisi described the tragedy that occurred on September 11th, 2001, a terrorist attack which took the lives of approximately 3,000 people, including workers at the World Trade Center, tourists, and first responders. This generation of Clark students were not yet born once the tragedy took place. Soon, Landisi announced that the motorcade would begin over the PA. After a moment of silence for the victims of the attack, students and staff rushed outside of their classes. Locals drove and waved to students, as their classic cars and motorcycles climbed up New York Avenue. Firefighters and other first responders performed the motorcade to several schools, including Crescenta Valley High School, and others in the La Crescenta area to remember the lives lost on September 11th, 2001.
As crowds began to line up outside campus, along both sides of New York avenue, as cheers from students and horns erupted from classic cars, including numerous Mustangs and Corvettes, passed by. “The motorcade is more than seeing a lot of cool cars, it’s remembering what happened 22 years ago today. I’m glad we got to show our appreciation to those who protect our nation,” sophomore Nareg Simonian said.
Junior Arman Rostomyan, an avid car enthusiast, was excited to see all the classic cars. “I enjoyed the motorcade, because on a sorrowful day like this, we are able to show our national pride through waving American flags and watching generations of American cars roll through the streets. I loved seeing Camaros, Corvettes, and especially the hot rods,” Rostomyan said.
The U.S. continues to commemorate the victims lost on that tragic day. With various ways to memorialize, Clark’s unique way of honoring those that lost their lives, still reminds students of the true meaning of Patriot Day.
