West Jordan students focus on service by planting trees on 9/11

WEST JORDAN — Some West Jordan Middle School students came together in service on Wednesday to leave a lasting legacy.

A total of six health classes stepped outside the classroom to get their hands dirty by planting trees in honor of those who sacrificed their lives during 9/11. They were also remembering fellow students.

Kathy Howa is a health teacher at West Jordan Middle School.

From physical to mental health, “everybody has something that they have to bear,” she said.

Howa said it’s important these students, who were not yet born at the time, know what happened on 9/11 and how it impacts today.

The value of mental health and the value of what happened to all those people afterward has had to affect all these families,” Howa said.

Through this National Day of Service, it is about honoring those lives lost and making a lasting change for tomorrow.

“There is so much that they are scared of today with school shootings and everything else that with mental health, we need to teach and educate these kids,” Howa said.

Each tree holds another special meaning for these families.

“So, anytime that anybody remembers him just makes me so happy,” Lisa Mitchell said.

Lisa and Jeremy Mitchell witnessed a tree being planted in honor of their son, Eli, who was hit and killed at 13 years old by a drunk driver in 2022.

“It’ll be nice we can come to a spot where he was going to school when this tragedy or accident occurred … Life moves on for most people, but for people that have lost somebody, you don’t realize it ‘til you’re in their shoes. It never really moves on,” the couple said.

One of the trees that Jeremy Mitchell helped plant is now named ‘Eli.’

Each of the trees will be named in honor of students whose lives were lost while attending West Jordan Middle School.