Schools honor victims

Terrorists attacked America this week. What happens next?

Those left to answer that question are not only the officials in Washington D.C., but youth across the nation.

"There were folks just like you that were sitting on those planes," Principal Glen Adair told Carson High School students. "Somewhere along the line, the system broke. That's your system. That's your future."

Like generations before them who have been confronted with similar decisions, emotions at the high school on Friday were mixed.

Student council member Josh Groth, 17, organized a lunchtime assembly for his peers to express their feelings.

He kicked off the assembly by blaring Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It" through the hallways.

"I'm personally sick and tired of us being politically correct and sitting back," he said, dressed in the national colors. "We're the United States of America. There's no reason why this should happen.

"We're not going to take it."

In honor of National Prayer and Remembrance Day, students and staff throughout Carson City dressed in red, white and blue and participated in various patriotic activities.

Steven Blacker, 17, painted his face in red, white and blue and painted streaks through his hair to match. But he did not share Groth's opinion.

"I think it's pretty messed up that they (the terrorists) did this," he said. "I also think it's messed up how we're reacting. They just want to go after them and kill them - they don't want to find out why first."

And for Ashley Allen, 17, who has friends serving in the military, it's frightening to think of what may happen.

"At any minute we could go to war," she said. "They'd be the ones going and that's scary. It's just very hard."

One of those friends is Kelly Josten, a 2000 graduate of Carson High School, who is now a Lance Corporal in the Marine Corps.

Josten is on leave and attended the assembly.

"I like what they're doing but it disgusts me that it takes such a tragedy for people to come together," he said. "People don't realize how good we have it in America. Every day should be like this."

Students throughout the Carson City School District also observed the day of remembrance. Fritsch Elementary School students constructed a paper chain out of red, white and blue paper to hang around the school.

Seeliger Elementary School students joined together to sing patriotic songs and Bray Elementary School students gathered around the flag pole to recite the pledge of allegiance.