High school students from Essex County are planting American flags on the school grounds to honor the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks as the 17th anniversary approaches.

This is the fourth year of the tradition at Cedar Grove High School. A flag is placed next to the name of each of the victims of the attack.

“It’s really three components on why we do this every year,” says school board member David Schoner. “One component is to honor. The other component is to remember. And the third component, that’s the most important component, is to educate kids.”

The students are either too young to remember the attack or were not born yet. They say that they heard stories about that day from their parents.

“My dad actually was there as a first responder. He was a firefighter,” says senior Mike Lever. “So he kind of saw firsthand and really explained to me how bad it really was.”

The students will also attend a seminar about the Sept. 11 attacks.

“We want to be able to have it be impactful. We talk about stuff all the time, but…you can’t get that impact of what it is having lost so many lives that day,” says Schoner.

Students say it's left a lasting effect on them.

“I think it is more real now that we’re putting all these flags out and so many people lost their lives on this day,” says senior Jordyn Lesler.

The students will plant the flags through Friday. The school has also acquired a 4-foot-long piece of steel from the World Trade Center that will be displayed at the entrance of the school.