COMMEMORATION—From left, Capt. Brian Sullivan, engineer Ron Sandor and firefighter Greg Thaxton of Ventura County Fire Department Deerhill Station No. 36 place a wreath at the Wolverton Memorial at Oak Park High School in honor of the 9/11 attacks. WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers Oak Park High School set aside time this week to reflect on the 10-year anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. On Sept. 12, the school held a ceremony to honor the more than 3,000 people who lost their lives on that fateful day.

Principal Kevin Buchanan spoke to students, administrators and special guests, including Chris and Miriam Wolverton whose son, Brian, an Oak Park graduate, was killed while on duty in Afghanistan.

“I came to America in my early

20s like countless generations before me in search of liberty and opportunity imbued in the American spirit,” Buchanan said. “Despite the physical devastation caused by these senseless and cowardly acts, the American spirit was emboldened and the resolve and determination to preserve the ideals that make the United States of America the beacon of democracy shone brightly.”

STAR-SPANGLED BANNER—Students, faculty, staff, and members of the community recite the Pledge of Allegience to the flag on Sept. 12 at Oak Park High School during a ceremony commemorating the victims and heroes of 9/11. WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers Buchanan said the tragedy spurred the largest outpouring of support for victims and their families that the country has ever seen and an “unparalleled display of American patriotism as the United States united in strength and resolve to heal as a nation.

“What also followed is 10 years of war as once again young men and women serve their country to defend the American ideals of liberty and justice,” he said. Buchanan recounted what Cliff Moore, the principal of Oak Park High at the time of the attack, said to students at a similar memorial.

“ While he recognized the swelling patriotism, he cautioned that, even in the celebration of the best qualities of this country, we must be careful to avoid the arrogance of blind prejudice,” Buchanan said. “We must always be ever vigilant to ensure that our justifiable pride in our heritage and accomplishments does not turn into false notions of superiority.”

Buchanan called for a moment of silence to honor those who lost their lives at Ground Zero. A flag ceremony followed, and firefighters from Ventura County Fire Department, Deerhill Station No. 36, laid a wreath at the Brian Wolverton memorial.

There was a second moment of silence in honor of the lives lost at the Pentagon and aboard Flight 77 and Flight 93.

Capt. Brian Sullivan of the Deerhill station said the “real, true heroes” are the people in the armed forces, those on the front lines in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Sullivan ended his talk with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi: “When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall.”