A physical education teacher in Patchogue-Medford, New York, has developed a workout challenge for students across the district to commemorate the lives and sacrifices made during the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Trish Shea, a gym teacher at Oregon Middle School, designed the challenge to educate students about the events of 9/11 and inspire them to push their limits in remembrance.
The challenge incorporates specific exercises and repetitions linked to the numbers of first responders and victims lost during the attacks.
"It was 110 stories of the Twin Towers that the firemen went up and down, so we decided to do 1,100 steps on the bleachers to kind of bring awareness to what the firemen climbed at that time," Shea told The Post. Students will climb the equivalent of the Twin Towers' height on bleachers.
Additionally, participants will perform 343 jumping jacks to honor the FDNY service members lost, 37 sit-ups for the Port Authority police officers who died, and 23 push-ups for the NYPD officers killed on that day. Shea noted that younger elementary school students will complete modified versions of the challenge, while middle and high school students will undertake the full regimen over three days.
Shea drew inspiration for the challenge from her own family's connection to public service and the Sept. 11 attacks. Her brother was an NYPD officer at the time of the attacks, her father is a retired NYPD officer, and her husband is an active member of the Suffolk County Police Department. Several brothers-in-law also served in the Marines or the Navy.
"Like many Long Islanders and New Yorkers, the terror attacks of Sept. 11 hit home for Shea," the report stated. The school district fully supported her initiative to organize the event.
"Twenty-five years have passed in the blink of an eye. It’s incredible," Shea said. "As a district, we wanted to kind of honor everybody who was part of 9/11 and their service, and those who were lost."