Grieving as a group

Experts are helping students mourn their classmates.
By D.A. WILKINSON
and PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITERS
YOUNGSTOWN -- The community is rallying to help schools deal with what is a tragic but seemingly all-too-common rite of spring.
Youths, for various reasons, are killed in car crashes.
A wreck late Saturday killed three students and injured four more when a car slammed into rocks in Mill Creek Park.
Nathaniel Pinkard, police chief for Mill Creek MetroParks, said Monday that he may not make a ruling on the cause of the crash until the end of the week. He said he was waiting for autopsy and toxicology reports.
Killed and injured
Killed were Anthony C. Childs, 18, of East Dewey Avenue, and Isiah Thomas, 16, of St. Louis Avenue, both students at Cardinal Mooney High School; and Amanda M. Ferraro, 16, of New Road, Austintown, a student at Fitch High School.
Those injured were Christiaen A. Lively, 18, of Parkwood Avenue, and Lia Kovalchik, 16, of Sandburg Drive, Austintown, both of Mooney; and Colleen E. Casey, 17, of Sandburg Drive, of Fitch.
Lia's sister, Karla F. Kovalchik, 14, also of Sandburg Drive, also was injured.
Lively and the Kovalchiks were in critical condition today in St. Elizabeth Health Center. Casey was treated at the hospital.
Pastors, counselors and educators spent Monday helping students begin to grieve for their classmates.
"Unfortunately, we've had a lot of tragedies here over the years -- too many," said Linda Johnson, the senior guidance counselor at Fitch, who oversees all the district's counselors. "When we get these calls, it's like, 'Oh, boy, not again.'"
Ways to grieve
At Fitch, a room was set up where students could go to talk with counselors, principals and teachers.
At Mooney, there were prayers and separate meetings with students.
"We let the students express whatever they are feeling," said Sister Jane Marie Kudlacz, Mooney's principal.
Poster board was put out at Mooney so students could write messages to the injured and in memory of those who died.
"In our prayer service, we called upon our faith and our trust in the providence of God and his presence in both pain and joy," Sister Jane Marie said. "We encouraged [students] to take some time in prayer to recognize God's presence in their lives and allow themselves to be healed by that presence."
The school is blessed with strong bonds so students could express themselves their own way, be supportive of others, and, in some cases, cry, the principal said.
"We're dealing with students who were very well-known and very well-loved. I would say just about everyone in this body knew who they were, not just because they [Childs and Thomas] played football, but because of who they were as people. So the hurt does spread."
Coming together
Johnson said: "We've found that the most important thing is that the kids get together. They tend to draw so much comfort from each other."
At Fitch, a class watched a funny videotape Ferraro had made for an English class.
"They shared their memories of her and how wonderful she was," Johnson said. "It just captured her wonderfully."
But, Johnson said: "The kids ask questions and we don't have the answers. We don't know why [this happened]. I think it hits these kids a lot because they realize their own vulnerability."
Johnson said many students turn to their beliefs. Clergy from a number denominations pitched in: Baptists helped at Mooney; a nun offered grief counseling to Fitch.
"The Austintown community is so wonderful when things like this happen. They are just great about reaching out," Johnson said.
Susan Trewella, the campus minister at Mooney, said even custodians and the cafeteria staff helped at Mooney.
Finding the right words to stay to the students now is not as important as just being there for the youths, Johnson said.
The three women stressed that it will take time for the trauma to heal.
As time goes by, family and friends must be aware of the signs of depression in those who do not recover. Those signs include withdrawal from friends, acting out emotional tension, changes in behavior, or using drugs or alcohol.
Trewella was sending a letter home with tips for parents, and she plans to have follow-up programs.
"You certainly don't have to feel like you are out there alone," she said.
Gathering at site
Numerous high school students, including those from Mooney, Chaney and Poland Seminary high schools, gathered tearfully and in small groups, consoling each other Monday evening at the crash scene on the Lake Cohasset shoreline.
At dusk, Mill Creek MetroParks police continued to direct traffic as a steady stream of cars passed by the Axe Factory Run bridge on West Cohasset Drive, where the car carrying the seven teenagers crashed after descending a hill. Many flowers and teddy bears had been left at the site of the accident.
The violent crash was in sharp contrast to the tranquil waters of Lake Cohasset and the mild, early spring weather that prevailed at this scenic venue, which is shaded by tall evergreen trees.
"We became really good friends with all of them," said Cieara Calzo, who said she had known Childs, Thomas and Lively for about 18 months. She visited the crash scene with a group of her sophomore classmates from Poland.
"Anthony was always happy, and Isiah was quiet," said Brittany Mazejko, also a sophomore at Poland.
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