Lawrenceville High School students observed the anniversary of the September 11th attacks on Thursday with a memorial stair climb inside the school gym. Participants in the school’s Fire Science and Hazmat programs, along with other students, climbed 2,200 steps — the number it would have taken to reach the top of the World Trade Center. Each climb was dedicated to one of the 441 first responders who lost their lives that day.

In addition to the physical challenge, students spent the week in class learning about the events of 9/11. Assistant Fire Chief and Fire Science instructor Joe Calvert said the program pauses regular lessons to show video and radio footage from the attacks, since none of the students were alive at the time. He explained that many of them are hearing the full story for the first time in his classroom.

Students also research the lives of individual firefighters who died, then walk in their honor. Eleventh grader Ivan Hernandez said the project helps them understand what happened and prepares them to respond if a similar tragedy ever occurs in the future.

This year marked the second time Lawrenceville High School has held the stair climb. Calvert noted the idea came from students themselves, and the program intends to keep the tradition going in the years ahead.