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ten years ago today (well, yesterday now), i was walking into mr. maddux's classroom to drop off a boys volleyball promotional video for the miner morning show that day. i was there a little before school started, just after the first tower had been hit. maddux always had a huge projector screen in his room for showing student videos and whatnot, and of course it was on that morning. i walked in, i'll never forget the image on the screen. two towers, one with smoke emerging about half way up. i asked what was going on and at that point, nobody really had any of the facts. at first, people thought the plane had accidentally flown into the building, later they learned it wasn't an accident at all. just as i was leaving, still having to stop by my locker and get to first period, the second plane hit. i immediately turned around and went back into the classroom. there were about ten students in the room, along with mr. maddux. we all couldn't believe it, still confused.

i proceeded to first period, u.s. history with mrs. king. the television was on in her room and we all sat and watched. that's about all i remember from that day. various news reports of the pentagon being hit by a plane, the white house being on lock down, and president bush was in florida, i believe, reading at an elementary school. i remember watching him in a press conference, but i don't remember what he said.

this past friday, the miner morning show did a special extended version of the show. not only was it mr. maddux's birthday, but it was the last day of school before the ten year anniversary of 9/11. we lost mr. maddux to cancer last spring. i miss him a lot. as a student, i had him all four years of high school, two of the four, i had him twice. i loved making movies for his class, and it's still a hobby that i'm into today. i starting working my ass off at park meadows golf course the summer of my 8th grade year in order to save up enough money to buy a camera for his class. he was a great guy. as a new teacher, he was helpful, kind, and always good for a laugh. i enjoyed the three extras years i was given with him when i returned to the high school as a member of the faculty. he taught me and then, in my first year of teaching, i taught his son devon. next year, i will most likely have his twin sons in my class. i really hope so. devon is an amazing individual and i wish him all the success and happiness in the world. he's truly one of the nicest kids i've ever met.


the kids in maddux's program have begun to do some truly amazing things. i posted a video made by a student in my last post, and i'd also like to post one in this post. this video is called '88 and sunny.' it was made by maddux's star student last year, cole sax. i strongly encourage you to watch the whole video and watch it full screen, beginning to end (the home videos at the end are priceless). it's a great film and won several honors at last year's 'miner film festival.' i also had both cole sax and garrett schlag (the main character in the video) in class and they are amazing kids as well. they were invited to new york this anniversary weekend to show this film at the "orphans of 9/11" gathering. enjoy the video and know that i will never forget the tragic events of september 11, 2001, and i will never forget chris maddux.

88 and Sunny - Short Film - from Cole Sax on Vimeo.