Wednesday, October 21, 2026
For 25 years, the memories of Sept. 11, 2001, have been carried by the people who lived through it.
But at Wantagh High School, an entire generation of students has grown up without firsthand memories of that day.
That is part of the reason the Wantagh School District is building a permanent 9/11 memorial in front of the high school, where two towering steel structures will stand as a reminder of the 12 members of the Wantagh community who were killed in the attacks.
The memorial, which began taking shape after school ended in June, is expected to be completed by the end of the month, in time for the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11.
For Wantagh High Principal Paul Guzzone, the project is about ensuring that the memories of those lost do not disappear as the years pass. "Everything is rooted in never forgetting," Guzzone said. "Just before students enter Wantagh High School, they'll see this memorial and the names of the members of our community who were lost etched in granite. It sends a message that we have a responsibility to never forget, and to frequently remember those who were lost."
The memorial was not originally intended to be completed for the 25th anniversary. The district's 9/11 committee, Guzzone explained, initially envisioned it as part of a five-year plan.
The committee, made up of district staff and community members, established short- and long-term goals, and decided that a permanent memorial should be one of its priorities. The project was funded by fundraising, grants and donations rather than taxpayer money.
Major support came from the Gary Sinise Foundation, a $50,000 Nassau County grant, the Wantagh 612 Association and Orlin & Cohen Orthopedic Group, among others.
As funding came together, the district realized it could move up the timeline. "Our goal was to have it as part of a five-year plan,” Guzzone said. “But as we moved forward, we accumulated funds and outside support. People came in and provided donations and grants to help us get it done by the 25th" anniversary.
Administrators worked with the district’s facilities department and architects to make the September deadline possible. Construction began around July 1, according to Facilities Director Rob Lovergine. The granite is scheduled to arrive Aug. 19, the day after the lighting and steel towers are expected to be installed. If construction remains on schedule, Lovergine said, the project should be completed by Aug. 28.
Afterward, the district will be landscaped, ahead of the anniversary commemoration and a 9/11 memorial run on Sept. 20.
The project has gone relatively smoothly, Lovergine said, with the biggest challenge coming during the design process, as district officials worked to balance their vision with the available budget.
"Everybody had to come together and say, 'This is what we can do for the money we have,'" Lovergine said. "I think that was the biggest challenge here — trying to get everyone on the same page with that. Once that worked out, everything has been smooth."
Guzzone and architects at Mark Design Studios, in Jericho, worked together on the concept, Lovergine said, turning the principal's vision into a final design.
The memorial, in front of the high school’s main entrance, will feature two stainless-steel towers, positioned at an angle intended to mimic how the World Trade Center towers appeared from Wantagh, rising from a pentagonal granite base, honoring the people killed at the Pentagon.
Four sides of the structure will pay tribute to groups of people connected to Wantagh who were killed on Sept. 11 — members of the New York City fire and police departments, Wantagh High graduates and other community members who were working in the twin towers.
The fifth side will be the face of the memorial, bearing the words, "In Memory of Those Lost on September 11, 2001." The lettering will be modeled after that used at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.
At night, the roughly 9-foot-tall towers will be illuminated.
"That's going to be something special," Lovergine said. "When we set that off at nighttime and you pull up to the building and see these towers with the way they're going to be lit up, I think it's going to look great."
The finished space will include a walkway and benches, and is intended to serve both as a place for ceremonies and a quiet space for reflection.
For Guzzone, however, its greatest purpose may be educational. None of the district's current K-12 students were alive in September 2001, and some younger educators weren’t, either. Guzzone said the district has worked to give students a connection to history with an annual trip to the museum in Lower Manhattan.
He has also encouraged students to talk with their parents and other family members about their experiences. In that way, Guzzone said, Sept. 11 is becoming a historic event for today's students in much the same way Pearl Harbor was for previous generations.
"We can't let these memories die," he said. "The tragedy was beaten by the American people's response. The unity that was on display was a light that shined through the horror and despair. We worked together to get to a better place, and we want to highlight those things, too."
The hope is that the memorial will keep conversations going long after the 25th anniversary has passed.
"Twenty-five years from now, I hope we have our kids doing visitations and having conversations," Guzzone said. "I hope it's not just a school memorial, but a community staple."
The district plans to hold a dedication ceremony for the anniversary with students, staff, community members and representatives of the Gary Sinise Foundation expected to participate.
Lovergine said he hoped that visitors seeing the memorial for the first time would be reminded not only of the tragedy, but of the people from Wantagh who died. "I just hope it's a good reminder of what everybody went through on that date, and that we can help celebrate the people who were lost here in Wantagh," he said.
For Guzzone, being part of the project has become a personal milestone in a career dedicated to the Wantagh community. "I'm so thankful to be part of this committee," he said. "I'm passionate about this work and being part of our community for decades to come. I hope this memorial honors the memories of those we lost, their bravery and courage, and that it stands the test of time."
