Cerritos College students awoke to grim news Tuesday morning as they were bombarded with media images and reports of the United States being attacked by terrorists.

American airplanes were hijacked, and then crashed into the World Trade Center buildings in New York, and the Pentagon in Washington D.C.

Both World Trade towers eventually collapsed, and part of the Pentagon building also collapsed.

As a result of the attacks, some students and instructors stayed home to find out how friends and loved one in those cities were doing, while others stayed home out of concern for their personal safety.

There were closings of many public buildings in Los Angeles, as well as the United States, but Cerritos College stayed open.

The official statement from the college president said:

“All of us at Cerritos College are saddened by the tragedy that has struck our country today. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.

“After meeting this morning and consulting with local officials we have determined that the college will remain open and that classes will continue. The campus is safe and secure.

“Scattered reports of school closings and event cancellations have begun to reach us. If, because of the closings, you should need to leave work to be with your family, please feel free to do so. Just be certain to make appropriate arrangements with your supervisor.

“Flags on campus have been lowered to half-staff, as public symbol of mourning and each of us, of course, will be mourning individually for the loss we share.

“If and as there are new developments, we will keep you informed.”

As the students who did come to school arrived, some found that their classes were closed as their instructors did not show up.

Takuji Yamamoto, an art and design major came to school late because he was trying to contact a friend who lives in New York, however, because of the huge volume of calls going into New York, he was not able to get through.

When he did get to school, he found that his class was closed.

The campus radio station was broadcasting live news reports from all news station, KNX 1070. At approximately 8:30 a.m., director of the campus radio station, Craig Briet made the decision to broadcast the news out to the campus.

Many student radio hosts did not show up Tuesday, and others, like Vince Daniels who hosts an evening show came filled in. Every so often, he would break in with updates of class closures on campus.

Mayra Campos and Vannessa Cervantes were sitting in front of the radio station listening to the news.

Campos originally was going to stay home, but she decided to “be responsible and come to school.”

Cervantes called the school first to make sure the school was open before coming to school.

Other students stood around the radio station listening for class closures.

Many students went into the Student Center, where throughout the day, the news was being shown on a large screen.

Off campus agencies offered counseling to students who might have been having a hard time coping with the disaster. Information about contacting them was forwarded from the president’s office to department managers, who then passed the information on to instructors to give to students.

The agencies are: College Hospital Enterprises, 1-800-352-3300, and Department of Mental Health/Rio Hondo Mental Health Community Center, 1-800-854-7771.

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