Delaware Valley Elementary School student reporters participate in 9/11 ceremony at the Town of Deerpark
Young Life. Local teacher, retired fireman share their experiences with DVE-News/TV reporters.
| 18 Sep 2026 | 12:44
The reporters outside by an actual beam from the Twin Towers. (
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The reporters looking at Lt. Rennish’s newspaper clippings and books about 9/11. (
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The reporters with Stephanie Vandemark. (
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DVE-News/TV reporters: Annabelle Armstrong, Ireland, Owens, Amelia Russo, Isabella Bocaletti, Mysty Rogoff, Afton Pope, Olivia Lyons and Harper Holdredge awaiting the ceremony to begin.
On Sept. 11, the DVE-News/TV reporters participated in the 25th anniversary 9/11 ceremony at the Town of Deerpark, Huguenot, N.Y. The reporters learned a lot. After the ceremony, the reporters interviewed Lieutenant Joseph Rennish, a retired New York City and Port Jervis Fire Department firefighter and Stephanie Vandemark, who was a teacher in NYC at the time and is now a teacher in Port Jervis.
Both Rennish and Vandemark said what they remember most about Sept. 11, 2001 is seeing and being alarmed when two planes struck the World Trade Center towers. Vandemark recalled her fellow New York City teachers staying brave, despite feeling very scared, and making the kid feel safe. was a teacher in NYC at the time. She said that the teachers stayed brave although very scared and made the kids feel safe.
Rennish told the reporters it is a fireman’s job to have the courage to run into a burning building when everyone else is running out. Lt. He said that as a retired firefighter he wanted to desperately go there to help. He admired the firefighters who went into the buildings to help people get to safety.
Both Rennish and Vandermark said they appreciated how everyone came together to save others, helping those in need, and sacrificing their lives. There was no division, they didn’t care about color, religion, gender or political views.
They both agreed that the 9/11 museum in New York does a great job, the best in telling the story of 9/11. However, Rennish objected to Sept. 11 being referred to as Patriot’s Day on calendars or not mentioned at all, saying the day should be remembered as September 11th, so no one forgets.
The reporters wanted to know if they had any advice for children their age. Vandemark responded to be kind and help others. Rennish told them not to trust strangers, to be watchful and vigilant of their surroundings. Both said to honor people by going to memorials to remember those people who perished.
Through their interviews, the reporters learned about a graduate from Delaware Valley was in the Pentagon that day but thankfully didn’t get injured. They also heard about the red-bandana-wearing Welles Crowther, who saved 18 people that day, but never made it back out before the towers collapsed. They learned about Tilly Giedel Conklin, who was seven years old at the time, and her father, Gary Geidel, a FDNY firefighter, who said goodbye that morning and Tilly never saw him again. More than 300 firefighters lost their lives. The reporters were shocked that one female police officer was in the collapse and all that was left was her gun belt, gun and badge, everything else evaporated. They didn’t know that people were still coming down with illnesses from working the pile.
The reporters were in complete agreement that everyone should remember this day and never forget those we lost and the heroes of that time.