Student Council and National Honor Society paired together Sep. 1-3 to honor the soldiers who lost their lives in Afghanistan in the Aug. 26 Kabul Airport Bombing. Thirteen chairs were placed near the stage, each with a name of one of the soldiers.

The suicide bombing took place amidst the evacuation of people from Afghanistan in the Kabul Airport. At least 182 people were killed in the attacks, including 169 Afghan civilians and 13 U.S soldiers. 

Soon after the attack, the Student Council and National Honor Society began making plans to pay respects to the soldiers at the high school.

“Student Council President Isabel Ybarra and Vice President Alyssa Skarkey came to me after an NHS meeting where the idea originated,” Student Council sponsor Jennefer Moore said. “Student Council officers took it upon themselves to learn the actual names of each soldier so they could be displayed and honored appropriately.”

The chairs sat on the stage for two days.

“Pausing our daily activities to break bread is a necessity,  but it’s also a nice moment to connect with peers,” Moore said. “Having chairs on the stage provided a literal platform for everyone to see, and so it naturally became part of their lunch conversations.”

Students took notice of the memorial throughout the week, but not all of them fully understood it. 

“I think the school did a good job honoring the soldiers in the best way they could,” senior Savannah Caudle said. “Although I do think many students overlooked them. I just don’t think a lot of people know about the importance of this event.”

Although conflicts in the region have been at a sharp incline recently, American intervention in the Middle East (specifically Afghanistan and Iraq) began as a liberation and reconstruction effort after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Deemed the ‘War on Terror,’  these battles and efforts culminated into a failure on behalf of the Americans. 

As the Taliban recently took control of the Afghan government with little to no intervention, the United States’ foreign presence in the world has been questioned. 

Additionally, the speedy departure of American soldiers from Afghanistan has left civilians confused, hopeless, and seeking a way to escape.