Joining the nation on this tragic anniversary, Poly commemorates the attacks of September 11, 2001 by remembering the 10 alumni and one Poly parent who perished on that day. In normal times, Poly students, faculty, staff, and families would gather in the 9/11 Memorial Garden on the Dyker Heights campus. Middle and Upper School students would fill the hillside around our 9/11 family members at the garden’s center. After inspiring words from our Head of School and A Cappella’s singing of “I’ll Still Be There” by Cameron Bossert ’02, we are introduced to the 9/11 Scholars, one for each member of the community we remember. But this year, like so many others, this tradition took a different form this year, the 19th anniversary. The remembrance was held virtually.

We celebrate the lives of and remember Andrew A. Abate ’82, Vincent P. Abate ’79, Joseph Della Pietra ’95, Terence Gazzani ’95, Christopher Grady ’80, Joseph J. Hasson III ’85, Mark Hindy ’91, William R. Peterson ’72, Lars P. Qualben ’69, Andrew Rosenblum ’74, and Joseph P. Mascali P’01.

At the memorial this year, Head of School Audrius Barzdukas P’20 said, “Each year we name September 11 Scholars from our present student body, who in some way reflect and embody the qualities and attributes of those lost. So that the memory and the spirit of those who were lost continues in the lives of our students today. We are here to remember, to reflect, to celebrate the lives of those we lost and to gather as a school community.”

The 2020 9/11 Scholars are: Aidan Colasante ’25 (Andrew A. Abate ’82); Giovanni (Gio) Colasante ’22 (Vincent P. Abate ’79);  Bart Moroney ’21 (Joseph P. Della Pietra ’95); Marcos Perez ‘23 (Terence Gazzani ’95); Lea Glass ’24 (Christopher Grady ’80); Maeve Igoe ’23 (Joseph J. Hasson III ’85); Esteban Garcia ‘23 (Mark Hindy ’91); Charles (Charlie) Plym ’23 (Joseph A. Mascali P’01); Steven (Chase) Diblasio ’23 (William R. Peterson ’72); Leo Wang ’23 (Lars P. Qualben ’69); and Hayden Lewis ’23 (Andrew Rosenblum ’74).