What is usually a sea of blue and gold at Penn Manor High School was a mass of maroon and gray Friday.
Penn Manor students and faculty are paying tribute to the students from Manheim Central High School who lost their lives in a car accident Sunday, January 16, by wearing maroon and gray to school.
Amanda Ackerman a senior at Penn Manor started a Facebook group to urge fellow students to wear maroon (Manheim Central school colors are maroon and gray) to school on Friday so Penn Manor students could show their support for another school in the county that has suffered from the tragedy.
“I was friends with Cody Hollinger (one of the victims),” said Ackerman, “I’d actually have a lot to say to the families, there isn’t just one thing I could pick.”
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Haley Gavlick a sophomore at Penn Manor High School who participated in wearing maroon said, “I wore maroon in memory of the four boys who were killed. I knew all four of them and went to school with three of them.”
The boys who died in the accident were all on the Manheim Central football team, but most importantly they were friends and family to many.
“It shows that our school cares. They weren’t just four football players, they were four students who will be missed,” said Gavlick.
Many students at Penn Manor wanted to express their reasons for wearing maroon.
“I wore it for the kids,” said Shanelle Bailey
“I think that is important that we as a school show support,” added Penn Manor English teacher Melissa Frerichs.
Junior Megan Schlegimilch said, “It made me sad thinking if that happened to our football team and I’d want other schools to show support too.”
“I wore maroon to show my care and respect for the family that I know,” said senior Moriah Freeman.
Junior Alex Kirk agreed with his fellow classmates stating,”To honor the athletes that passed away.”
“To show my pride for Penn Manor by supporting other schools,” said sophomore Maddie Rohrer.
It was a sad day for everyone that knew the boys and Penn Manor expressed their grief the best they could.
By Simon Zimmerman, Cassey Graeff, and Conner Rowe
As Superintendent I am so proud of all of the students and staff of Penn Manor High School for your show of sympathy and support. Thank you!
Thank you for all you have done to help Manheim Central deal with this tragic accident. It has been a difficult time. But I think everyone finds strength in each other in Manheim and that is powerful. The outpouring from Penn Manor School District has be uplifting to the community. The articles and web-links have been shared with district employees and the school board. When talking to staff who received the link, they were moved to tears by your support.