Since Sept.

11, students and teachers all across Coweta County have sought ways to

express their sorrow, their determination to help their fellow citizens,

and their patriotism.

Some of the

best examples have been found in the pregame community rallies before

Northgate and Newnan high schools' football games. But what happened Sept.

11 has elicited responses from students, teachers and parents at all Coweta

County schools.

Students have

raised money for, and solicited the community for blood donations through,

the American Red Cross. Students are discussing what it means to be an

American, and patriotism. Teachers are reporting a new enthusiasm for

the Pledge of Allegiance that starts each day.

"There

are some very proud pledges, and you can hear a pin drop during the moment

of silence every morning," said Newnan Crossing Elementary School

Principal Terry Lassetter.

Lassetter's

elementary school is indicative of other elementary schools in Coweta

County

"We try

not to focus on the tragedy because it scares students this young,"

said Lassetter. "We want our children to feel safe, and many of the

younger ones don't know what's going on."

But Lassetter

said all Newnan Crossing students know something is going on, and want

to know what they can do.

"So we

concentrate on giving, on helping people in need, on patriotism,"

she said.

The children

and teachers have participated, like many Coweta County schools, in raising

money for the American Red Cross. There was a competition among first

grade classes that raised hundreds for the organization.

Teacher Denise

Meacham is coordinating an American flag t-shirt sale "Stand United,

Stand Proud" on the front for students and parents.

Teaching her

class a lesson on patterning, Kathleen Yarborough led students in fashioning

small American flag pins from colored beads. Some parents and teachers

wanted to buy the pins, so Dr. Yarborough asked her students if they would

voluntarily donate their pins for sale. Many did, and the money went to

the Red Cross and victim's assistance funds. The class is making more

pins now.

Students in

third grade wrote letters of thanks to the police, firefighters and all

others work ers at the New York site.

Computer lab

teacher LeeAnne Tomlin asked her class to type brief essays on "Why

I am proud to be an American." Some of the scores of results are

displayed on the wall outside of Newnan Crossing's cafeteria and include:

"I am

proud to be an American because we get so much freedom and power and America

is the best country in the whole world. Some countries don't have as much

freedom as we do."

A few other

stories from around the system include:

Newnan High's

student-run Cuga Cruch Company and a private donor made a $3,000 donation

to the American Red Cross. Northgate High School Viking's Vittles Club

made a similar donation of money raised from annual sales.

Newnan High's

Key Club followed suit during homecoming week with a contribution. The

Student Government Association sponsored letters to the rescue workers

in New York and Washington/Pennsylvania and during home room many wrote

letters of sympathy and support to all concerned.

The letters

were delivered last week to New York and elsewhere.

Atkinson Elementary

School students wore red, white and blue on two different days. The fourth

and fifth grade classes had bake sales to donate money to the Red Cross.

In the Friday after the attack, students observed the moment of silence

along with the entire country. One of the fifth grade students, Cameran

Fanning, dressed up like Red Cross founder Clara Barton.

Canongate Elementary

School Cubs, in response to the tragedy in New York, participated in a

Red, White and Blue Spirit Day, and participated in the pregame show at

Northgate High School by singing the National Anthem and "America

the Beautiful," and wrote letters to be delivered to the children,

teachers and administrators of the Long Island educational system.

Students also

raised funds for the American Red Cross, and participated in Arms Around

New York - collecting teddy bears to send to the children of the relief

workers.

At Arnco-Sargent,

classes are incorporating patriotism into creative writing and letter

writing.

Elm Street

Elementary School raised over $2,600 for the American Red Cross and the

American Diabetes Association. It was a week-long drive, during which

children were encouraged to help with the situation in New York and Washington.

They were also inspired to bring money in for children with diabetes.

Amounts raised included $1,481 for the American Diabetes Association and

$1,216 for the Red Cross.

Middle schools

have provided a fount of support for the Red Cross and similar organizations.

East Coweta

Middle, on the first Friday, shut down the cafeteria's ice cream box and

asked students to make donations instead.

Over $1,300

was raised on that day alone.

One student,

Alex Peters, gave $50 in birthday money to the school's drive.

Over $1,600

was raised.

At Evans Middle,

the student council sold flag stickers for $1 apiece, and home rooms conducted

fund-raising competitions.

A check for

$2,134 was presented to the local chapter of the Red Cross, to be sent

on the organization's Liberty Fund. Evans students also are collecting

student poetry about Sept. 11 to bind into a book and keep in the library.

In all, the

five middle schools, including Smokey Road and Madras Middle Schools,

raised over $2,000 each, bringing in well over $10,000 for the Red Cross

and similar organizations.

At Arnall,

Davidson and other students also posted blood drive posters for the Red

Cross.

"What

would be cool is to do this every year," said Arnall's Davidson.

"There's always somebody that needs help," she said.