Middlebury Elementary School (MES) students and staff came together on September 11 to honor the 25th anniversary of 9/11 through a day centered on remembrance, kindness, and service to others.

MES was selected to receive funding through the 2026 9/11 Day Grant Program, administered by the nonprofit 9/11 Day in collaboration with AmeriCorps. The funding helped make possible a schoolwide effort to turn remembrance into meaningful action.

As part of the “Fill the Heart, Fill the Pantry” service project, MES dedicated and stocked a new community food pantry at the entrance of the school. Filled with nonperishable food items, the pantry will serve as an ongoing resource for local families and individuals in need.

Students and staff also assembled 30 care bags for patients receiving treatment at the Leever Cancer Center in Waterbury, filling each with items intended to provide comfort and care. Students participated in additional classroom service projects throughout the school as well. 

For today’s elementary students, September 11, 2001, is an event they know only through history. The day of service provided an opportunity to help students understand not only the significance of 9/11, but also the extraordinary compassion, courage, and unity that emerged in its aftermath.

By coming together to help others, MES students and staff honored that legacy and demonstrated how even small acts of kindness can make a meaningful difference in a community.

The project was part of the September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance, carrying the spirit of service forward for a new generation