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Pocono News Section
High Schools Try to Cope with Students' Deaths
High Schools Try to Cope with Students' Deaths - Monday, February 1, 2010 at 5:40PM EST
Reported by: Jeremy Deebel
Monday, Feb 1, 2010 @ 05:40pm EST
Central Pennsylvania-
Tragedy strikes two high schools in central Pennsylvania over the weekend. Two teens died after separate crashes. Students and faculty in both schools are trying to cope with the losses.
15-year-old Montoursville High School student Cordell Page died Saturday night, five days after a crash on Warrensville Road, in which he was the passenger.
His brother, 16-year-old William Page was driving. We're told William remains in critical condition.
Montoursville High School Principal Dan Taormina recalled, "Cordell, or ‘Cordy,’ was the type of kid, you walk down the hallway, he'd always put a smile on your face, either with a joke, or some face he was making, or something he was doing."
Grief counselors have been on-hand at the school for several days.
Both brothers were members of the wrestling team. Wrestlers and the rest of the student body have come together, perhaps more unified now than ever before.
Superintendent Dominic Cavallaro noted, "It's a family atmosphere here. The kids are rallying around. They want to know what they can do each day, is there anything they can do to help, fundraisers.”
Then, just four days after the Page brothers' accident, another tragedy, this time in the Milton area.
On Friday night, just before 10:00, police say 17-year-old Alex Moser was driving his car along New Columbia Road in White Deer Township, at what witnesses call a very high rate of speed.
He struck a utility pole before rolling his car into a cornfield. Two female passengers were taken to a local hospital with serious injuries. Moser was pronounced dead at the scene.
Staff members at Milton Area High School say Alex was an intelligent, active kid.
Principal Bryan Noaker said, "He was very involved with the school in terms of sports. He was a swimmer, he was a soccer player. He was involved in the outdoor club. And (he was) just liked by a lot of people."
Here, too, grief counselors have been on-hand since the accident happened. They say the message to students is simple.
Acting Superintendent Brian Snyder explained, "That we're here for them. If they need somebody to talk to, obviously, the school is here. And we will do our best to respond to any of their needs."
We're told both families are currently in the process of making funeral arrangements. If they decide to make those details public, we'll bring them to you. | | |
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