Press Release 11 25 19
Clinton Central School District
Office of the Superintendent
75 Chenango Avenue
Clinton, NY 13323
Website: www.ccs.edu
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 20, 2019
Contact: Dr. Steve Grimm, Superintendent, 315-557-2253, sgrimm@ccs.edu
Clinton Schools Announce September 11th Memorial Project
What
The Clinton Central School District has announced plans to install a Flight 93 September 11th Memorial on the school grounds next September 11, 2020.
When
The formal announcement will take place at a press conference on Clinton School grounds on Monday, November 25th at 10:30 AM, at the Clinton Foundation Memorial Brick Garden along Chenango Avenue in Clinton, NY.
The Project
The mission of the project is to establish and maintain a memorial to honor Clinton native and high school graduate Edward Porter Felt who was one of the heroic passengers onboard Flight 93 after it was hijacked on September 11, 2001. The flight was diverted away from the intended Washington, D.C. target, and crashed into a peaceful farm field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania killing all aboard.
Edward Porter Felt, born November 9, 1959, graduated from Clinton High School with the Class of 1977, attended Colgate University undergraduate, and earned a Master’s degree from Cornell University. He relocated to New Jersey and was a Computer Engineer and Technology Director at BEA Systems.
On September 11, 2001, Mr. Felt scheduled an impromptu business trip on Flight 93 from Newark, NY to San Francisco, which was one of four aircraft hijacked by terrorists on that fateful day. The heroic actions taken by the passengers aboard that flight, including Edward, prevented a second attack on Washington, D.C.
The Memorial
We wish to establish a permanent memorial to Edward Porter Felt on the grounds of Clinton Central School District near the Clinton Foundation Memorial Brick Garden. The memorial will consist of an engraved Dakota Mahogany Granite bench, a stone from the Shanksville crash site memorial, and an informational pedestal. In addition, a fund will be established to maintain the memorial and fund a scholarship in the name of Mr. Felt to be awarded annually to a Clinton High School student.
September 11, 2020 Dedication
A fundraising campaign will encompass much of next year in order to raise enough money to cover the cost of the memorial and installation and fund the annual scholarship for many years to come. In addition, there will be a formal event in the Clinton School Theater on September 11, 2020, followed by a site-side dedication along Chenango Avenue. We would like this to be a broad and inclusive community effort, including businesses, service organizations, private citizens, and the students of Clinton Central Schools. We will be reaching out to many groups in the near future for support.
The ceremonies will be meaningful and personal with several guest speakers, including Edward’s brother Gordon Felt, former president of the Families of Flight 93 organization. He has spent the last two decades actively involved in the development of the national memorial in Shanksville and to preserving the memories of Flight 93 and Edward in the hearts of so many.
Clinton School Superintendent Dr. Steve Grimm stated “The creation of this memorial and annual scholarship gives us a visual reminder of the many sacrifices made that day and how our community is meaningfully connected to it through Edward Felt.” He continued to say “We will be able to use this memorial to help educate future generations about September 11th, and about how we come together as a community and nation to recognize and celebrate our heroes; in this case, one of our own, Edward Porter Felt.”
Press Conference
Press conference speakers will be Dr. Steve Grimm, Superintendent of Schools, and Mr. Gordon Felt, brother of Edward Porter Felt. All members of the press and community are invited to attend the press conference on Monday, November 25th at 10:30 AM, at the Clinton Foundation Memorial Brick Garden along Chenango Ave.
Other Media Links and Information:
Clinton September 11th Memorial Project Website: https://www.ccs.edu/september11th
Trifold Brochure (also accessible from website above): https://www.ccs.edu/cms/lib/NY01913591/Centricity/Domain/412/EdwardFelt-Tri-fold-Brochure-DRAFT-2.pd