MANCHESTER — The city remembered the terrorist attacks that occurred Sept. 11, 2001, with a ceremony Monday before about 500 Webster Elementary School students, most of whom were not even born when terrorists hijacked planes and crashed them into the World Trade Center towers, the Pentagon and in a field near Shanksville, Pa., killing about 3,000 people.

The students in kindergarten through fifth grade listened quietly as Prinicipal Chistine D. Martin gave a brief account of what happened that day 11 years ago and explained why city officials and dignitaries gathered at their school to remember those who died — including 10 from New Hampshire — and the bravery of thousands of others.

Manchester Superintendent Thomas Brennan told the school children that some of them are probably too young to understand, but, he said, there are adults who witnessed and lived through that day who still are trying to understand it.

“We’re here to celebrate the freedom we have and the valor of those who allowed us to continue to have that freedom,” he explained.

Principal Martin said because of the friendly rivalry between the police and fire departments, she decided to toss a coin to see which chief would speak first. Police Chief David Mara won and he joked it was only fitting since police were the ones who always arrive first in an emergency.

He asked the youngsters who wanted to be a police officer? A few raised their hands.

A firefighter? More wanted that job than one in law enforcement.

A few hands went up when he asked who wanted to be a nurse or a teacher. Other professions scored the most.

“Well, it all starts here,” Mara told them, with their education.

He said 9/11 was a sad day for the country and a lot of people lost their lives, but he said in another sense, it was a good day because it brought people together to help even though some of them lost their lives doing it.

Mara told the children they could remember the selflessness of those people by doing something nice for somebody and helping someone if they can. That would be a start to making the community a better place, he said.

Fire Chief James Burkush followed Mara to the podium. “Who wants to drive that fire truck?” he asked, pointing to the big red truck parked in front of the school. The children’s hands went flying into the air, and the crowd, which included a few dozen spectators, laughed.

Some of the firefighters who this past Sunday climbed to the 20th floor of the Brady Sullivan Tower in the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb were on hand, and Burkush told the children they were available to help them when needed.

“Our motto we follow is, ‘We will never forget.’ We’re like elephants,” he said.

Gov. John Lynch, New Hampshire Attorney General Michael Delaney, U.S. Attorney John Kacavas and Mayor Ted Gatsas all gave brief remarks.

A group of third-, fourth- and fifth-graders then performed, “You’re A Hero,” in tribute to the police officers and firefighters. “You’re a hero, a hero. You’re that type of person I would like to be,” they sang.

Principal Martin then read the names of the 10 New Hampshire residents who died in the 9/11 attack: Thomas McGuinness, Thelma Cuccinello, Carol Flyzik, David Kovalcin, Douglas Stone, Robert LeBlanc, Louis Neil Mariani, Kathleen Shearer, Robert Shearer, and Katherine Bantis.

A memorial plaque was dedicated at Manchester Central High School Monday in memory of Bantis, who was a 1975 graduate.

The West High School Chamber Choir also performed during the hour-long ceremony at the North End elementary school, singing “To Walk Like Giants,” while West High School trumpet players Cody Silva, Joe Sample and Steven Lindbloom played “America The Beautiful,” and “Taps,” to close the ceremony.

pgrossmith@unionleader.com