United States of Friendship: 9/11 Pen Pals

United States of Friendship: Pen Pals of 9-11

More than 20 years after the tragic events of 9/11/2001, school teachers Julie O’Connor and Elaine Mroczka reflect on the friendship that sparked national conversation and brought eight-year-olds together from hundreds of miles away. Shortly after the attacks, third graders in Illinois reached out to the traumatized children in New York City through a pen pal project and it was exactly the type of healing our nation craved! Unlikely friends, the two classes wrote to each other for an entire school year. May we all learn to be kind to others, just as these small-town students were to their inner-city pen pals. Featured in the New York Times, local newspapers, "The Kelly Clarkson Show", and the "Today Show", the children's patriotic example shows us what a difference caring can make in someone's life! Tenafly author Julie O'Connor, PhD, will discuss her book and the hope it elicits.  Dr. O'Connor serves on her town council and has been a teacher and instructional supervisor for over 20 years in both the New York City and Cliffside Park, N.J., public school systems.

As our library is named after fallen hero Dennis P. McHugh, and our building was made possible by the generosity of his family, programs of this nature are near to our hearts. We hope that you can join us for this virtual program.