Photos of the Old Main observance can be found on the University's home page or at http://www.psu.edu/ur/flash/service.html.

In joining with U.S. President George W. Bush's call for a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance, Penn State offices and classrooms at all campuses were closed during the noon hour as the community paused in unity to mourn the country's terrible losses together.

"In a show of solidarity and support, the Penn State community joins the nation in mourning the victims of the recent deadly acts of terrorism that have horrified the world," said Penn State President Graham Spanier in announcing Friday's commemoration.

The remembrance began with music by the Essence of Joy choral group and brass instrumental selections, leading up to a solemn five minutes of silence. With a large American flag draped in front of Old Main's columns as a backdrop, the emotional gathering then sang "God Bless America."

Spanier concluded the ceremony by asking those assembled to go in peace as Old Main's bells began to toll continuously until 1 p.m.

"We are a community of highly educated individuals, and we must not make the mistake of giving in to irrational fears, stereotyping, or hatred directed at our fellow citizens and colleagues," said Spanier. "I ask everyone associated with this great university family to come together in a spirit of unity, cohesiveness, and understanding to overcome the forces of prejudice, bigotry, and hatred."

A candlelight prayer vigil will be held at tonight at 7 p.m. on the Old Main steps. All members of the Penn State and State College communities are invited to attend this event.

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UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY EXTENDS HANDS AND HEARTS
In response to Tuesday’s tragedy, the Penn State community has banded together to provide assistance – in whatever way possible – to help those in need in New York City and Washington, D.C. Outreach efforts by the Penn State community include:

– Thousands of Penn State students, faculty and staff systemwide are coordinating and participating in on and off-campus blood drives.

– The Center for Arts and Crafts at the University Park campus is conducting a “N.Y.C. Teddy Bear Drive.”  The Center is working with several local businesses to collect teddy bears and notes of encouragement to send to New York children.

– On Tuesday, when telephone communication in New York City was limited, Penn State helped restore Columbia University’s ability to make and receive local and long-distance emergency phone calls. Penn State used its computer networking services to open lines to and from the Manhattan-based institution. Penn State will cover the cost associated with providing this aid to Columbia.

– Penn State Hazleton sophomore, Young An, who is a paramedic, is traveling to New York City as a volunteer.

– Big Ten institutions have agreed to contribute $1 million to a non-profit disaster relief fund to be determined.

– Jeff Orledge, an emergency medicine physician at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center, and Mike Kurtz, a paramedic with the Medical Center’s LifeLion air medical service, have gone to New York City as members of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Task Force. Their task force was one of the first to arrive at the World Trade Center complex.

– Penn State New Kensington is conducting a bottled water and new sock drive.

– The Office of Student Activities at University Park has made 5 king size white sheets available for students to sign in the HUB-Robeson Center. Students are being provided with red and blue markers to write down their thoughts. The sheets will be used as a memorial and may be sent to New York City or Washington, D.C.

– Louis Geschwindner, professor of architectural engineering, is collecting information about the tragedy, the buildings, and members of the Penn State architectural engineering family who may have had connections to this terrible situation. The site, which is updated every few minutes with first- and second-hand reports, can be found at http://www.engr.psu.edu/ae/wtc/wtctragedy.html.

– The Penn State Alumni Association is mobilizing its affiliations around the world to provide information and assistance wherever possible. The Association is dedicating a message board on its Web site to help alumni contact friends and family who may have been affected by Tuesday's events and for offers of assistance in the New York City and Washington, D.C. areas. The message board can be found by going to the Association's Web site at http://www.alumni.psu.edu.

– Students in East Halls and McElwain Hall on the University Park campus are conducting an emergency relief food and clothing drive. Dozens of boxes of cloths and nonperishable food have been collected.

– Students at Penn State Harrisburg, Penn State New Kensington, Penn State Mont Alto and Penn State Shenango are planning monetary drives for the American Red Cross.

– Several Penn State DuBois student clubs are working together to raise money for the American Red Cross. They are selling links in a "peace chain," which is currently on display in the campus Student Union. For a $1 donation, students can write their name on a paper link, which is then attached to the peace chain. All donations will go to the American Red Cross.

– The Veteran's Club at Penn State Worthington Scranton is sponsoring “Build a Flag.” They are selling squares and stars that will be a part of an American flag that will be displayed in the Study Learning Center on campus. Proceeds will be sent directly to the American Red Cross.

– Student Government Associations systemwide are passing out ribbons to students, faculty, staff and the community.

– Many University police and EMS personnel have offered their assistance in New York City and Washington, D.C. However, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Emergency Operations Center has issued a statement saying the New York Police Department has requested that all emergency response resources (police, fire, EMS) remain in their communities unless called upon.

– The Penn State Hershey Medical Center Blood Bank reports an unusually high number of people calling about donating blood or walking in to donate blood. The staff is doing everything possible to accommodate the contributions. The medical center is a Level I trauma center and is on stand-by to assist if requested. LifeLion medical helicopters were grounded when the nation's air traffic was shutdown, but quickly regained permission to be in the air again.

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DISCUSSING CURRENT EVENTS WITH CHILDREN
Parents and teachers left speechless by the tragic events that continue to unfold on television should be aware of a children's news program about the recent terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. The program is written for audiences in the fourth through seventh grades.

Penn State Public Broadcasting's national educational series, What's in the News (WITN), will air a special episode on public television and in classrooms focusing on the recent attacks and the concept of terrorism. Topics will include an age-appropriate recap of the week's events and discussion of the President's assurances that the country will keep going. The program will also offer explanations of why people turn to terrorism, why the World Trade Center and Pentagon were targets, and how to meet the challenges and cope with the terrible feelings that everyone in the nation shares.

"We wanted to provide a program that teachers would feel comfortable showing in their classrooms and that would give children some context for the terrible images bombarding them on television," said Katie O'Toole, producer/writer for Penn State Public Broadcasting and host of WITN. "Kids will be taking their cues from adults, so we think it's critical to emphasize that this is a major event in our nation's history, that it's okay, even healthy, to be experiencing a range of emotions, and that there are many, many people actively working to keep them safe and to make sure that a catastrophe like this never happens again."

Penn State's Murry Nelson worked with O'Toole to ensure that all content is developmentally appropriate for middle-school students. Nelson, who is professor-in-charge of social studies education and head of the department of curriculum and instruction, serves as the regular content adviser for the program.

Teachers who do not receive WITN can contact WITN distributor, Bill Barnhart of International Telecommunications Services, Inc. He can be reached at (703) 476-4468 or by e-mail at billits@msn.com. After the broadcast, Web users may access more age-appropriate information about the recent terrorist attacks and a script of the broadcast at http://witn.psu.edu. Additional Internet resources for families dealing with stress and tragedy are available through the Penn State Cooperative Extension Web site: http://www.agexted.cas.psu.edu/fcs/dp/Grief.html.