The poignant stories of heroic classroom teachers who took care of their students during the attacks on September 11, 2001, are amazing, touching, and inspirational. But one of the most heart-wrenching of all is the story of three teachers aboard Flight 77, the plane that crashed into the Pentagon, killing 64 souls aboard and 125 souls on the ground.
Sarah Clark, Hilda E. Taylor, and James Debeuneure were teachers from Washington, DC. The three were selected by the National Geographic Society to escort a group of elementary students on a field trip to Southern California. This field trip, known as the Sustainable Seas Expedition, gave underprivileged urban students the opportunity to spend time at the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, where they would work as junior marine biologists and study oceanic life. Tragically, the lives of all three exemplary educators came to a swift end on September 11, 2001, when the plane carrying the students and teachers was hijacked by five extremists and crashed into the Pentagon.
Teacher Sarah Clark
“Sarah Clark was the teacher every kid wanted for sixth grade — just strict enough that the classroom never fell into free-for-all, just cool enough so that class time was never too predictable,” remembered Sarah’s former student Carla Garnett. The beloved teacher was described by former student Sharon Pendana as “patient, kind, and deeply skilled at finding the workable paths between curricula and individual student understanding.” Sarah was a sixth-grade teacher at Backus Middle School in Washington, DC. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Winston-Salem State University, and her Master’s degree in Urban Learning from George Washington University. She was 65 years years old.
Teacher Hilda E. Taylor
Sixth grade teacher Hilda E.Taylor taught at Madeleine V. Leckie Elementary School located in Southwest Washington, DC. Hilda was a native of Sierra Leone, and came to the United States to further her education and to seek a better life for herself and her family. “She was very enthusiastic, very dedicated,” remembered Denise Sessoms, Assistant Principal. “She was always seeking new and creative learning experiences for her students. Parents looked forward to having their children in her room.” Hilda earned her Master’s degree from the University of the District of Columbia. She was 58 years old.
Teacher James Debeuneure
Educator James Debeuneure was a fifth-grade teacher at Ketcham Elementary School in Southeast Washington. James earned his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Johnson C. Smith University in 1966. He was 45 years old when he decided he wanted to be a teacher, so he went back to college, earned his Master’s degree in Education, and inaugurated his career in the classroom. “He really loved teaching,” remembered his mother-in-law, Ruth Lea. “He would tell stories about children coming to school hungry or with weapons that he’d take off them. He was more a mentor and a friend to them than a teacher.” Ketcham Principal Romaine Thomas recalled that James often came to school early and stayed late to sponsor the student safety patrol, and that he worked tirelessly to find new material and fresh approaches for classroom assignments. “He was such a committed and dedicated teacher,” Principal Thomas said. James was 58 years old.
It must have been a comfort for the students who were also lost that day to be near their beloved teachers in their last moments. For losing their lives in the line of duty, these chalkboard heroes have had their names inscribed on the Memorial to Fallen Educators at the National Teachers Hall of Fame in Emporia, Kansas. You can read more about them at NTHF Fallen Educators.
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