Principal prepares to serve country Ten years ago, The United States of America was callous- ly struck by the most horrific tragedy imaginable. T e n years ago, Central York High School’s principal Ryan Caufman fulfilled his childhood dream of joining the military, a dream he had long cultivated since he was a “little boy.” After going through basic training and officers’ candidate school, Caufman was commis- sioned as a second lieutenant, then later as a lieutenant, and now holds the rank of captain for the Army National Guard. Caufman has commanded two companies, military intelli- gence and HQ for a battalion, and is currently preparing to deploy for Kuwait from Janu- ary 2012 through January 2013 as a S2 head intelligence offi- cer for his brigade. He entered the mili- tary March 31 2001, just six months before the catastrophic September 11 attack. He says the tragedy has affected not only him, but also his family and closest friends throughout the years. He said he has seen the strain the “war on terror” has put on his fellow soldiers and their families. has simply made him more determined to join forces with thousands of other Americans and put a stop to the terrorism and hatred that looms within the Middle East and has come dangerously close to infecting our soil. “It’s been tough…I’ve seen it stress a lot of families,” Caufman said in regards to the toll that military families face when they are forced to watch their loved ones make the brave sacrifice of risking their lives to protect America. Family, especially with the birth of his first child, two month-old son Reid in June. Reid is one of Caufman’s most powerful motivators when it comes to fighting... See CAUFMAN on page 2. “I would hope for us to continue to take a leader- ship role and humanitarian role in the world.” -Ryan Caufman, Principal What do you remember most from 9/11? I remember watching my mom die. We lived pretty close to the World Trade Center. I only remember watching her die and at the same time the world trade center was hit. How did that affect you? That’s my mom. She died at a young age and growing up without her was hard. What happens every time that day comes? I’m in school. The whole day I’ll be depressed I won’t talk about it. I’ll just cry the whole day and when the school brings it up on the announcements and have a moment of silence I always get more upset and people come up to me & ask “Devona didn’t your mom die that day?” The day is sad, but on her birthday I bake a cake with my brother and sister and we eat it. Does it bother you when people come up and ask you that? Kinda but I’m not a rude person. I’ll just be like “Yeah,” but that just brings more tears. And I feel like every year it comes around I lose more memory of her because I was so young and I don’t remember much. I was six. When did you first tell people? When I was in 8th grade. It was on that day. People were Q: What do you remember most from 9/11? A: I remember watching my mom die. I don’t remember what her job was, but I know she worked there. She died at home We lived pretty close to the World Trade Center. I only remember watching her die and at the same time the World Trade Center was hit. Q: How did that affect you? A: That’s my mom. She died at a young age and growing up without her was hard. Q: What happens every time that day comes? A: I’m in school. The whole day I’ll be depressed. I won’t talk about it. I’ll just cry the whole day and when the school brings it up on the announcements and have a moment of silence, I always get more upset and people come up to me and ask “Devona didn’t your mom die that day?” The day is sad, but on her birthday I bake a cake with my brother and sister and we eat it. See “GORDON” on page 2 September 11 events hit home for Central student by Paige Benjamin GUEST WRITER Managing Editor Danae Taylor interviews junior Devona Gordon about her September 11 experience. Principal Caufman holds his two-month old son while wearing fatigues (Courtesy Photo).