When Americans talk about the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, they know exactly where they were and what they were doing. I was three weeks away from getting married, and my thoughts were filled with dress fittings and reception details. But now, there is a whole generation of Americans who were born after that horrible day, and now, those charged with making sure we never forget have not forgotten about that new generation.

As the 25th anniversary of the attacks nears, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum is unveiling a new exhibit aimed at the younger generation of Americans. It focuses on how, out of something awful, something good was born: the idea that Americans would use the day as a way of serving their communities in ways that keep the memories of those who died alive.

The exhibit entitled In Their Honor: "25 Years of 9/11 Inspired Service" shows how Americans choosing to serve their local communities and their country became a way of commemorating the day. Elizabeth L. Hillman is the 9/11 Memorial and Museum president and CEO, and said of the new exhibit:

"So many people who visit the museum or who are interested in learning about 9/11 are too young to remember themselves, and one of the stories that they don't necessarily realize when they start to encounter the history of 9/11 is how much it changed the arc of people's lives."

Along with artifacts and interactive displays are the firsthand accounts of people whose lives were directly impacted by 9/11. One of those artifacts is a 15-foot paper mache sculpture made by kids attending America's Camp, a summer camp created for kids who had lost parents in the attack. One of the interactive displays shows those personal stories of 9/11. Brothers James and Patrick Dowdell's father was among the hundreds of firefighters killed on 9/11. James became a New York City firefighter, and Patrick served in the U.S. Army. Hillman said of those personal stories, "I think that first-person storytelling is the way to reach young people."

But it takes more than a museum to educate the younger generation about the events of that day. That's a tricky thing to do when only 25 states require teaching about 9/11, and 13 have "optional mentions." Even in New York, where the bulk of the attacks happened, 9/11 history is going to be taught very differently than, say, Alabama or Missouri. Then there is left-wing media like NPR, whose biggest concern is "Islamophobia," yet still can't figure out why they lost federal funding. And let's not forget people like professional America hater Hasan Piker, who said that "America deserved 9/11." 

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Fortunately, Americans are people who will take the opportunity to take something horrid and turn it into a reason to do something good. We have chosen to make 9/11 a day of service to our own communities and our nation. We all must teach the real history of 9/11 to young people, but also how a day of service is the best tribute to those we lost.