For Mullen High School sophomore Liam Burns, the reason for climbing the stairs at Red Rocks was simple: honoring people who put others first. “It meant a lot because these men and women did a lot for our country, and they sacrificed themselves to help others,” Burns said.
On September 11, 2026, Burns joined Mullen’s entire 215-student sophomore class and 20 educators at Red Rocks Amphitheatre for the Colorado 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb. Held on the 25th anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks, Mullen’s Sophomore Class Day of Civic Engagement brought students together to honor fallen first responders and connect their study of American history with an experience of remembrance in their own community.
The annual event invites participants to climb nine laps around the amphitheater, the equivalent of the World Trade Center’s 110 stories. Organizers describe the untimed climb as an opportunity to remember those lost on September 11 and bring communities together. For students born years after the attacks, participating offered a way to consider the people behind a history lesson.
Katie Schneringer, Mullen’s Social Studies Department chair and Mullen alumna, proposed the sophomore experience after previously taking seniors to the climb. She saw an opportunity to connect the U.S. history curriculum with the department’s growing emphasis on civic engagement and give sophomores a meaningful experience to share as a class.
Corey Sampson, assistant principal for academics and curriculum and a social studies teacher, said the goal was to help students connect classroom learning with its continuing impact on people’s lives. “Things of the past and things we study in the past continue to impact us to this day,” Sampson said.
Christa Brainard, executive assistant to the principal who also supports Lasallian Student Life, saw students respond with a willingness to participate and positive attitudes throughout the climb. She hopes the experience becomes one they remember long after high school. “Overall, I thought the sophomores were amazing,” Brainard said.
For Schneringer, the work continues back at school. In a reflection following the event, she described the purpose in three words: “Remember. Reflect. Respond.” Students are asked to remember the people behind the history, reflect on courage and sacrifice, and consider their own responsibility to others. “What responsibility do we have because we remember?” she wrote. “How will we serve? How will we show courage? How will we show up for our communities and for one another?”
That question will help guide second-semester work in U.S. History B. Students will work with their teachers to develop civic engagement projects centered on first responders. They will be challenged to learn about needs in the community and identify ways to help. Projects could include writing letters, organizing a fundraiser or volunteering, depending on what students learn and the opportunities available.
The process gives students a role in deciding how to respond. They will need to listen, ask questions and consider what would be useful to the people they hope to support. The climb begins a conversation that students will carry into that work.
This connection between learning and service reflects the Lasallian charism, the spirit of faith and service that shapes a Mullen education. In the tradition of St. John Baptist de La Salle, students are called to recognize God’s presence in their lives, respect the dignity of every person and use their education in service to others. At Mullen, a private Catholic high school in Denver, those commitments help guide what students learn and how they put that learning into practice.
Remembering first responders and learning how to support them gives concrete meaning to the charge Schneringer shared: “Enter to learn, leave to serve.” Students can begin living that responsibility while they are still in high school, alongside classmates and teachers who will help them follow through.
Making the day possible took support across the Mullen community. Families and donors helped provide transportation and commemorative T-shirts, while educators, staff and administrators coordinated the class’s participation. Schneringer said colleagues responded to the idea by asking how they could help. She hopes to continue the experience and broaden civic engagement opportunities across grade levels.
Families interested in how Mullen brings together academic learning, Catholic faith and service are invited to Open House on Sunday, October 25. Meet the students and educators who make experiences like the Sophomore Class Day of Civic Engagement possible, explore campus and learn what it means to become a Mustang. Visit www.mullenhigh.com/admissions to submit an inquiry and receive Open House information.
