By KALEY CONNER

kconner@dailynews.net

Haley Lindsey and Caci Houser both remember exactly where they were when the World Trade Center was struck by two hijacked airplanes eight years ago today.

Lindsey, a fifth-grader at the time, was in math class. Her teacher paused the lesson to inform her students the iconic New York towers had been hit.

"I was like, I don't know what you're telling me right now," said Lindsey, a resident of Bucklin. "What does that mean?"

"I was in gym class when someone mentioned it," said Houser, who is from Sharon Springs. "We were debating on whether it was important, whether it was a minor problem or a major problem. It turned out to be pretty major."

Both are freshman at Fort Hays State University, and members of McMindes Hall Council. The group, which consists of more than 20 members, felt the need to commemorate the anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001.

McMindes residence hall hosted four 20-minute tributes today.

The first was at 8:45 a.m., but no one showed up for the first session, possibly due to morning classes, Lindsey said.

"In one minute is the time the first plane hit the towers," Lindsey said, glancing at her watch this morning while waiting for attendees. "8:46."

Other meetings were scheduled for 4 p.m., 5 p.m. and 9:11 p.m.

Lindsey found a four-minute commemorative video online, and Houser planned to read a poem titled "I Stare in Total Disbelief." Council members also planned to lead a prayer and a moment of silence to honor victims and current soldiers.

Freewill donations will be sent to New York to help with construction of a new memorial planned for Ground Zero. If the group donates at least $100, the council's name will appear on a cobblestone in the memorial's plaza.

Lindsey has a grandmother in Pennsylvania and remembers panicking when United Flight 93 crashed in a rural area of the state, though her grandmother lives several hours from the site.

"It's not just important to me, it's important to others," she said of remembering the day. "Especially for the people who have family that's over there fighting. It's just important that we honor them."