CHAPEL HILL -- Honor, sacrifice, and respect was the theme across the campus of UNC Chapel Hill Friday as hundreds gathered for a special memorial stair run.

It symbolized the nearly 3,000 stairs that first responders had to climb after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

This is the third year ROTC students came together to host this event. They say in addition to paying tribute to those who lost their lives, the event is also a way to ensure underclassmen who were young at the time understand the significance of that tragic day.

“I grew up thinking everyone was going to remember 9/11 because I was so young at the time. We're at a point now when people in high school are too young to remember what happened," said Lane Dougherty with the UNC Army ROTC.

"[This memorial stair run] makes me think about the people in uniform carrying extra bodies. It puts it in perspective," said Taylor Edwards with the UNC Army ROTC.

Two other student organizations also are honoring those who died on 9/11. 

UNC’s College Republicans and the Young America Foundation will place 2,996 flags, one for each victim, around the Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower Sunday, Sept. 11, from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

The General Alumni Association will also hold a small ceremony for the six alumni who were killed on 9/11 on Sunday, Sept. 11, 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

The event will be held at the Memorial Garden outside the Alumni Center.

Chancellor Carol L. Folt will attend the ceremony and will be joined by Doug Dibbert, president of the UNC General Alumni Association.