Ten years ago, the United States and the world changed forever when terrorists flew planes into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania. Despite the passage of time, the memories are still fresh, particularly for New Yorkers.

"What I could remember of 9/11 was stun and sorrow," said Tyrice Johnson, a junior from Brooklyn, N.Y. "I was in the fifth grade in my morning class, looking forward to my birthday celebration the next day. Then, as my classmates were dismissed one by one, and I learned of the events that happened, excitement turned to shock, and then turned to sorrow."

The events of Sept. 11 affected the entire United States, but at the epicenters of grief were in New York City and D.C.

"I remember walking back from the bathroom as the faculty seemed to have gone into a frenzy," said Trishelle Byrd, a junior from Yonkers, N.Y. "My gym teacher was walking down the hall with his walkie-talkie close to his face and ordered me, along with the other students in the hall, to hurry back to our classrooms. I started to see teachers lock and close their blinds to their doors and windows."

Some New Yorkers personally knew someone who died in the attack or knew someone whose family member, neighbor or close friend worked in or near the World Trade Center.

"My friend's mom worked in the twin towers and went to work that day," Byrd said. "Later that day, he was escorted down to the office. Very fortunately, my friend T.J. made his mom late getting to work. As she was about to walk in the front door to her building, she saw the first plane hit the tower."

Alex MacKintosh, a junior from Bronxville, N.Y., had a teacher's assistant in his class whose husband was a firefighter and knew someone in the towers.

"I had a neighbor who worked on one of the top floors of the World Trade Center make it out alive, but he saw many of his co-workers die that day."

In addition to the loss of family, community members and friends on Sept. 11, these students and other New Yorkers were affected in other ways that changed their day-to-day lives.

"When I got home from school, it was all that was on the TV for the rest of the night," said Amanda Long, a senior from Chappaqua, N.Y. "Those images are burned in my mind. My family was fine, but that was not the same for everyone in my community."

For some, the danger in the aftermath of Sept. 11 was literally all around them.

"My school closed down for about two weeks due to the air quality," MacKintosh said.

For Johnson, Sept. 11 had lingering effects on his psyche.

"It instilled fear in me about planes," Johnson said. "I lived on the top floor of my building and I could remember going to the window every time I heard a plane going toward JFK International Airport."

Ten years later, the magnitude of Sept. 11 still prevails.

"I cannot believe it has been 10 years since the attacks and with each passing year, I still remember exactly where I was that day and what I heard on the radio in my classroom," MacKintosh said. "I will always remember that day more than any other, because of what happened and also because I had people that I knew lose their lives."

Despite everything, New Yorkers continue to remain proud and stand strong.

"The sentiment in New York is not one of defeat, however," said Long. "We are New Yorkers. We survive"