Coleman School District students connect with history at Wisconsin 9/11 Memorial

KEWASKUM – On Thursday, Sept. 10, civics educator Jeremy Brady and English educator Sarah Thomas brought 41 Coleman School District civics students to the Wisconsin 9/11 Memorial in Kewaskum to reflect on history and honor the fallen.

The memorial was built to remember those who lost their lives in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and to honor the life of Kewaskum graduate Andrea Haberman, age 25, who died that day while working in the World Trade Center.

Guided by project coordinator Gordon Haberman, the students viewed a 2200-pound steel I-beam recovered from the north tower at Ground Zero and discussed the lasting impact of the attacks on American society and government.

“Our civics lessons often focus on how history shapes the present,” Brady explained.
“Standing here makes it real for them. It’s not just something from a textbook — these events touched families in Wisconsin and continue to shape our responsibilities as citizens.”

The hope is to help students deepen their understanding of both the tragedy and the importance of civic engagement.

The speakers talked about how people came together afterward and how the country united on Sept. 12. I
“It reminds us that we have to be active and care about each other as a community. This, to me, is the most important part of teaching civics — students learning their civic responsibility to others,” Brady added.
The Wisconsin 9/11 Memorial, dedicated in 2021, is the only memorial of its kind in the state and serves as a place of education and remembrance. For these students, the field trip was more than a lesson in government — it was a reminder of resilience, unity and the value of public service.

“Never Forget” is etched at the base of the main structure in the center of the memorial, and by learning about the events of Sept. 11, the students will keep that memory alive.