Wellington C. Mepham High School recently held its fifth annual Manuel Mojica Stairway Climb, honoring the North Bellmore resident and FDNY firefighter who died on Sept. 11, 2001.
Just under 700 participants, including students, staff, student-athletes, district teams and local firefighters, took part in the event, where they climbed thousands of steps and raised $700 for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
“Walking together as a school community serves as a powerful symbol of our shared promise to never forget,” Principal Anthony DeMartinis said in a release sent to the Herald.
The Mojica family joined the school community for the Sept. 17 event, which honors Manuel Mojica and commemorates all those who died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Mojica’s children, Stephanie, a 2011 Mepham graduate, and Manny, a 2014 graduate, attended the school.
Participants walked 2,977 steps through Mepham’s hallways and stairwells, representing the 2,977 people killed in the attacks. The names of the victims lined the stairways along the route.
“Each name was thoughtfully hung by our Participation in Government and School and Community Leadership students as a constant, powerful reminder of those we honor,” Mepham social studies teacher and event co-organizer Kerry Dennis said in the release.
The tradition was established by Mepham’s Class of 2023 and was inspired by the annual Tunnel to Towers Tower Climb at One World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan, where participants climb 104 stories.
This year’s event also included the formal dedication of Mepham’s Senior Staircase as the Remembrance Staircase, creating a permanent tribute to the 28 Bellmore-Merrick residents who died on Sept. 11.
“In solemn honor of the 28 Bellmore-Merrick residents who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001, we officially dedicate our Senior Staircase as the Remembrance Staircase,” Dennis said. “As future generations of Pirates walk these halls and climb these steps, this dedication stands as a permanent tribute to our community’s lost heroes, their families, and the enduring resilience of the American spirit.”
“Their sacrifice, bravery, and memory are woven into the very heart of Mepham; they will never be forgotten,” social studies teacher and event co-organizer Chris Patten added.
Money raised through the stairway climb will benefit the Tunnel to Towers Foundation as part of Mepham’s fall Senior Service Learning Project.
