Lindbergh Schools students honored local heroes and learned about the events of Sept. 11, 2001, during Patriot Day activities this Wednesday.

At Crestwood Elementary School, kindergarten students wore handmade paper hats to represent firefighters and policemen. They, along with the rest of the student body, honored first responders and local heroes from the city of Crestwood during an all-school assembly, according to a news release.

“A patriot is a person who defends our country and protects it from bad people,” Crestwood Principal Jodi Meese explained to students, as they applauded the local heroes in attendance.

At Sappington Elementary School, first-grade students were told about the origins of Patriot Day and celebrated the United States by learning about some important milestones in American history. Students rotated among first grade classrooms and learned about the U.S. flag, the Bill of Rights, the Preamble to the Constitution and the Statue of Liberty, the release stated.

They also read the book “The Day the World Changed,” by retired Lindbergh teacher Debbie Nelson Linck, which explains the events of Sept. 11 in a way young children can understand.

“Our goal was to teach the students about the importance of Patriot Day and how it is related to the liberty, which is represented by the flag that we have today,” first-grade teacher Tarren Fritz stated.

During the Crestwood Elementary assembly, students heard from Crestwood Police Chief Michael Paillou. Meese then played a video of students thanking patriots for their service to our country.

That video is below: