'OOPA's World of Words' to Release Educational 9/11 Video Series for Children

As the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks approaches, the longstanding promise to “never forget” no longer carries the weight it once did. With the events of that day not consistently taught in schools, many in the younger generation remain unaware of the loss of 343 firefighters and nearly 3,000 civilians in the attacks.

In an effort to preserve the history of events that happened on U.S. soil, and share its many lessons, OOPA’s World of Words is working to ensure those stories are not lost.

OOPA’s World of Words was created by author and founder Rupa Mehta through her nonprofit organization NaliniKIDS. The educational program and video series is designed for preschool, kindergarten and early elementary children. The educational videos pay homage to Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, using interacting movement, mindfulness and storytelling to help kids connect words to physical action.

On June 15, 2026, OOPA’s World of Words, in partnership with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), the FDNY and the New York City Department of Education, will release five episodes to educate children about Sept. 11, 2001, in a way suited for younger audiences. Together, the series breaks down the day and puts it into terms that kids aged 5-10 can comprehend.

Mehta and her husband, Sam Goldberg, who wrote the episodes and helped produce the series, took a simple route to get the message across: They focused each episode on a specific word the kids would understand and connected it to the tragic day. They bring on special guests for each video to help humanize each topic for the kids.

“Every lesson plan has 9/11 as a part of it, but it makes it practical and memorable for the children,” Goldberg told Firehouse.com. “It's very thoughtful. This is really being taught in a very thoughtful way.”

The five words they utilize are:

• Anniversary: This word refers to events that occur on the same day each year. The episode features Erin Browning, who works with the NFFF as an outreach specialist for supporting families of firefighters who have lost a loved one in the line of duty. 
• Emergency: Instead of calling Sept. 11, 2001, a tragedy or terrorist attack, OOPA’s World of Words calls it an emergency to resonate with children more because they understand that when they have fire drills and lockdown drills. This episode features FDNY EMS Division Chief Cheryl Middleton.
• Hero: This episode features nine-year-old Piper Utermahlen, whose grandpa was involved on Sept. 11 in Arlington County, VA, and has her speak about how he is a hero for helping that day.
• Memory: Former FDNY Fire Commissioner Sal Cassano talks about losing many friends that day, and the episode focuses on memories with those close to you.
• Service: The fifth and final episode talks about how you can help a friend, neighbor or anyone in need. It is spoken from the perspective of chef and author Don Pintabona, who cooked over a million meals for first responders following the incident, and teacher and artist Elisabetta Bracer, whose mother, Angie Bracer, worked at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and helped with the cleanup after Sept. 11.

“We really feel that this could be a domino that falls in helping teach children this subject in a way that gives it the historical power, resonance and care that it deserves,” Goldberg said.

This can be a hard topic to teach children in general, especially since Sept. 11 falls within the first couple of weeks of school, when teachers are still trying to build a community within their clasrooms.

“We heard the same thing over and over again,” Goldberg said. “We don't ever talk about this for a couple of reasons. Some teachers don't want to touch it because they don't know how to handle it. It's not easy to talk about.”

Goldberg produced another movie called "Silo" that portrays an authentic portrayal of a grain entraptment, where he worked with firefighters, farmers and agricultrual institutions.

The nonprofit kept that in mind by providing a soft landing for the subject. It also includes full lesson plans, activities, answers to follow-up questions, a teacher guide, and a family guide to make it easier for teachers and parents.

The series will be free on YouTube with more educational materials available on their website.