Peru, Nebraska - A group of students took part in a meaningful activity on September 11th, aimed at inspiring them to ask the question "How can I help?" The activity was organized by Phi Epsilon Kappa, an academic club that has previously held various events. These events included fundraisers and memorials. Dr. Kyle Ryan, Professor of Kinesiology, organized the 9/11 Memorial Workout of the Day, which featured nine exercise stations located in front of T.J. Majors. Participants completed eleven repetitions of each of the nine exercises and then repeated the circuit twice, once for each tower.
The exercise's primary objective was to encourage students to step out of their comfort zone and volunteer their help to others. It has now been 22 years since the tragic events of 9/11, and this day serves as an opportunity for people to reflect on their memories and experiences of that day.
According to Phi Epsilon Kappa club president Sidney Peck, "It is quite remarkable to honor this event after 22 years. To see strangers come together and unite as one. It was amazing to see how many people were willing to show up and step outside their comfort zone. For many, it meant much more than a workout."
Dr. Ryan added, "For a variety of reasons we have not held this memorial workout these past few years. After speaking with the club officers for Phi Epsilon Kappa, however, it seemed like a perfect time to start offering campus activities once again. I've read that we would never want to re-live September 11th, but we would all like to re-live September 12th and how this country came together. I can't thank Coach Roman Gentry enough for encouraging his athletes to take part in a workout that recognizes an event that most student-athletes were not alive for."
Participating were the following individuals: Donzell Johnson, Ty Griggs, David Wingett, Mathew Wingett, Sam Regan, Amir Poat, AJ Richard, Carlos Austin Jr., Easton Hall, Sayvon Traylor, Carlos Hines, Carson Borzekofski, Josh Wickstrom, Sidney Peck, Grace Wenzel, Lexi Barnes, Chance Benford, Darius Catron, Cat Dixson, Brooke Hayes, Shay Johnson, Emberlyn Medsker, Quentin Morris, Jaylan Peeler, Monique Rouire, Peyton Witzel, Virginia Kouba and Max Wynegar.
Nestled in the hills of historic southeast Nebraska, Peru State College offers a mix of innovative online and traditional classroom undergraduate and graduate programs, including online graduate degrees in education and organizational management.
Established in 1867 as Nebraska’s first college, Peru State has transformed over the past century and a half into a state-of-the-art institution offering diverse, multifaceted educational programs annually to nearly 2,000 students.