2 South Meck students killed in Friday morning crash, principal says Two South Mecklenburg High School students were killed in a wreck Friday morning off Tyvola Road near Pineville Road, the school principal stated in a message to parents. The crash happened shortly before 7 a.m. ALSO READ: Two hurt in crash with MEDIC truck in north Charlotte “Seniors Kaia Hodge and Jada Cousins were involved in a fatal car accident Friday morning,” Principal Marc Angerer said. “We are heartbroken by this loss and grieve with Kaia and Jada’s family and friends.” MEDIC said they died at the scene.
A third person was taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries. “It spreads, so students know about the accident and the two senior girls dying,” said Karen Rivera, a junior. Friday was a depressing day on the campus, she said. “I feel like it impacts every student differently especially the ones who are friends with the student,” Rivera said. It’s an incident that makes some parents nervous about their children. “Honestly, it makes me fearful for my kids driving,” parent Tracy Strickland said. “I didn’t know these two students but it’s frightening, to be honest.” Some parents see the danger of driving firsthand. “I’m actually a truck driver by trade so I’m on the road,” parent Marquis Days said. “I see accidents every day.” Days didn’t know the two victims, but he is in the process of teaching his daughters how to drive.
“That’s a very scary feeling teaching our kids how to drive,” Days said. “You don’t even feel safe letting them go out, but you want them to grow up, have their responsibility and their freedom.” The principal empathized with the South Meck community. “This type of sudden loss is difficult to process, and oftentimes we experience physical, mental, and emotional reactions,” Angerer said. “Please take the time you need to process your feelings and remember to care for and support each other during this difficult time.” Grief counselors are available. The road was closed for several hours after the crash. It is unclear what led up to it.
Two South Mecklenburg High School students died in a wreck Friday morning, Principal Mark Angerer said in a message to parents. Seniors Kaia Hodge and Jada Cousins were killed in the crash, Angerer said. “We are heartbroken by this loss and grieve with Kaia and Jada’s family and friends,” the principal said. Medics said another person involved in the wreck was hospitalized with minor injuries. The collision happened at the intersection of Tyvola Road and Old Pineville Road in south Charlotte just before 7 a.m., Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said. The intersection was closed for several hours as officers investigated.
As of Friday evening, police had released no details of how the crash happened. Footage by Charlotte Observer news partner WSOC showed an 18-wheeler at the scene. Grief counseling services were available to students and staff at the school, Angerer said in his message, which was released to the media by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. “We extend our sincere condolences to Kaia and Jada’s families, and we ask that you keep them in your thoughts as well,” the principal said.
Two South Mecklenburg High School students died in a wreck Friday morning, Principal Mark Angerer said in a message to parents. Seniors Kaia Hodge and Jada Cousins were killed in the crash, Angerer said. “We are heartbroken by this loss and grieve with Kaia and Jada’s family and friends,” the principal said. Medics said another person involved in the wreck was hospitalized with minor injuries. The collision happened at the intersection of Tyvola Road and Old Pineville Road in south Charlotte just before 7 a.m., Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said.
The intersection was closed for several hours as officers investigated. As of Friday evening, police had released no details of how the crash happened. Footage by Charlotte Observer news partner WSOC showed an 18-wheeler at the scene. Grief counseling services were available to students and staff at the school, Angerer said in his message, which was released to the media by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. “We extend our sincere condolences to Kaia and Jada’s families, and we ask that you keep them in your thoughts as well,” the principal said.
Spelling champions from across the region will meet Monday to compete in the annual Joplin Globe Spelling Bee. The bee will take place at Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School, 3401 Newman Road in Joplin. The Globe’s Newspaper in Education Department is presenting the event, which is open to the public. “This is the 45th year of the Joplin Globe Newspapers in Education spelling bee, and we are excited for a fun event,” said Robin Phelan, the Globe’s publisher. Registration starts at 8 a.m. with a practice round scheduled to begin around 8:45 a.m. As the contest is expected to last a few hours, there will be an intermission with refreshments provided for the competitors. Forty-six spellers, each the champion of their school, will compete in the bee. Students in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades were eligible to compete. Contestants come from as far away as Springfield, Northeast Oklahoma and Southeast Kansas. All participants will receive a trophy. First-, second- and third-place finishers will receive a larger champion’s trophy. Lia Wu, an English teacher at Thomas Jefferson, will serve as the spell master this year, providing a variety of challenging words for the contest.
- Andy Ostmeyer, editor of the Globe; Doug Spears, with TAMKO Building Products Inc.; and Lisa Brown, with the Joplin Public Library, will be the judges. “We are so excited to be able to organize this event for our students in Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas,” said Daniel Kuhns, circulation manager and spelling bee coordinator. “The event would not be possible without our sponsor, TAMKO, and the use of the auditorium at Thomas Jefferson. This group of students has worked hard to study and prepare for the spelling bee, and it is truly amazing to watch the contestants’ determination and efforts leading up to and during the competition.” Grayson Bruffett, from Thomas Jefferson, won last year’s spelling bee after correctly spelling “colloquial” and “nystagmus.”
