Community invited to ceremony honoring those lost, including Mitchell graduate Kathryn Yancey LaBorie

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Twenty-five years after the attacks of September 11, 2001, the Mitchell High School community remains committed to honoring the lives lost and ensuring that their stories are remembered by future generations.

Mitchell High School will hold its annual 9/11 Memorial Commemoration at 9:45 a.m. Friday, September 11, at the school’s flagpole, 1205 Potter Drive, Colorado Springs.

The ceremony holds particular significance for Mitchell High School. Kathryn Yancey LaBorie, a 1975 Mitchell graduate and the lead flight attendant aboard United Airlines Flight 175, was among those killed when the hijacked plane struck the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

In 2023, the Kathryn Yancey Memorial Scholarship was established in her honor. Her photograph also hangs on Mitchell’s Wall of Inspiration, where students can learn about her life, courage and connection to their school.

This year’s keynote speaker will be Maj. Gen. David A. Piffarerio, a 1990 Mitchell High School graduate. Maj. Gen. Piffarerio serves as the Mobilization Assistant to the Commander of Pacific Air Forces at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

Commissioned in 1994 as an honor graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, Maj. Gen. Piffarerio has served in numerous operational, test and command assignments involving the F-15E, F-22 and F-16. He has flown combat missions in support of operations Northern Watch, Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle. He was the first U.S. Air Force pilot to reach 1,000 flight hours in the F-22 Raptor and has logged more than 3,500 hours in fighter aircraft. In his civilian career, he is a Boeing 777 pilot with a major U.S. airline.

Mitchell High School invites students, families, alumni and members of the community to attend as the school remembers Kathryn and all those whose lives were lost or forever changed on September 11, 2001.

The ceremony is open to the public.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2026 – FlashAlert announces a new feature for media organizations that may be helpful to your newsroom.

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PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. – The Greater Colorado Springs Community and Front Range Military Leaders are hosting a commemoration at Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station, Sept. 11 at 9 a.m. for the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. This milestone event will also recognize the first responders and military personnel affected by the events of 9/11, reflecting on a quarter-century of resilience, partnership, and homeland defense.

The ceremony will feature remarks from key military and civilian leaders who will reflect on the legacy of the attacks and our continued commitment to security. Distinguished speakers for the event include Gen Jennie Carignan, Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Chief of the Defence Staff; Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, USAF, commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command; the Honorable Yemi Mobolade, Mayor of Colorado Springs; and Gen. Ed Eberhart, USAF (Ret.), former commander of NORAD and USNORTHCOM.

Immediately following the ceremony, all listed speakers will be available for media interviews. Media representatives will have the opportunity to engage directly with these leaders regarding the historical significance of the 25th anniversary.

Please note: Due to security protocols at Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station, advanced registration is required for ALL attending media. Media who RSVP will be provided with additional information required via email.  

In order to register for access to the installation, media representatives interested in attending must RSVP to Space Base Delta 1 Public Affairs at D1.PA@spaceforce.mil">SBD1.PA@spaceforce.mil Please identify specific names, emails, and contact numbers for media professionals who plan to attend no later than 5 p.m. MST Sept. 7th.

Media who have RSVP’d should meet at the Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station Visitor Center located at 101 Norad Rd., Colorado Springs, CO 80906, no later than 8:15 a.m. on the date of the event. From there media will be escorted via government vehicles on base. Due to current base security measures, media who have not RSVP’d will not be granted access.   

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