PBSC Community Marks 25 Years since Sept. 11 with Reflection and Service

Twenty-five years after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Palm Beach State College students, faculty and staff gathered across the College to remember those who lost their lives, honor the first responders who answered the call and reflect on the lasting impact of that day. 

The College held commemorative events at its Boca Raton, Lake Worth and Belle Glade campuses, giving members of the PBSC community an opportunity to pause and remember the nearly 3,000 people killed in the attacks and the many first responders who continue to live with the consequences of their service. 

“Remembrance is more than looking back,” said PBSC President Ava L. Parker, JD. “It is a commitment to carry their memory forward through service, courage, compassion and our commitment to one another.” 

At the Lake Worth campus, Parker joined more than 150 students, faculty and staff in climbing the equivalent of 110 stories—the height of the World Trade Center towers—in respect of the first responders who climbed those stairs on September 11, knowing they might never come home.  

The physical challenge offered participants a way to connect with the experience of the first responders who faced the unimaginable that morning. Representatives from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Green Acres Fire Department joined the climb which raised money for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. 

At the Boca Raton campus, a wreath-laying ceremony was held at the College’s Sept. 11 Memorial outside the Administration Building. The ceremony brought members of the campus community together to pay tribute to those who died and to the countless people who served in the aftermath.

The College also held a remembrance ceremony at the Belle Glade campus, featuring a memorial speech by Student Services Specialist Raheem Benjamin followed by a moment of silence. 

For Philip Berlingo, an instructor in PBSC’s Criminal Justice Academy and retired New York City police officer, Sept. 11 is not simply a date in history. 

Berlingo was driving to work in New York City when the first tower was struck. He and fellow New York City police officers spent the next three days working at what remained of the World Trade Center before he was even able to return home. 

He lost several friends and colleagues in the attacks. 

“We didn’t think this would ever happen in a million years, but that’s why our training is so important — to prepare for the unexpected and unimaginable,” Berlingo said. 

Today, Berlingo trains future law enforcement officers at PBSC, many of whom were not yet born when the attacks occurred. He said it is important for them to understand the realities of Sept. 11 and why preparation matters. 

The anniversary also serves as a reminder of the sacrifices that continued long after the towers fell. Berlingo said remembrance is important not only for those who died on Sept. 11, but also for the first responders who have since developed devastating illnesses connected to their work at Ground Zero. 

For today's college students, Sept. 11 can be difficult to understand as a lived experience rather than a historical event. The College’s commemorations provided an opportunity to bridge that generational divide — bringing together those who remember exactly where they were that morning with students who know the day primarily through stories, photographs and history lessons. 

Through a moment of silence, a wreath placed at a memorial and the climb of 110 stories, the College community honored the lives lost and the courage of those who responded — while recommitting to the values that remain at the heart of the College: service, courage, compassion and care for one another.

View more photos from Palm Beach State College’s Sept. 11 remembrance events in the PBSC Flickr albums: 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb and Wreath Ceremony.