On Sunday, February 28, 2016, tragedy struck the Shelton High School community when senior basketball player Edmund Conklin died from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident. The school’s crisis team convened that Sunday evening and offered services that night and in the week ahead for staff and students. Handouts about dealing with children in crisis were prepared and distributed to parents. School and district administration dealt with its community’s needs and the flurry of the media. Outpourings of support were given to the school via emails from Southern Connecticut Conference league principals and athletic directors, and from local high school administration. Other local schools offered to send school counselors as needed. Tweets from the SCC and other athletic teams offered condolences. Flowers arrived from some schools and local groups, therapy dogs among them, offered their services. All of this assisted the school community as they mourned the loss of one of their students, one week prior to the team’s state tournament basketball game and three months shy of graduation.

Two weeks after Eddy’s death, two students from Bolton High School drove over an hour to Shelton High School. They presented a gorgeous plant and a hand-made card that read, “Our thoughts are with you. The Bolton High School Community sends our deepest sympathies to you as you mourn the loss of Eddy Conklin. We know exactly what you are going through as we also lost 2 students within 2 years. Time heals, as well as the support of friends.” The back of the card contained a personal expression of sympathy written and signed by every member of the Bolton High School Student Council and their advisor. As a principal who has dealt with several tragedies in her tenure, Dr. Beth Smith, Shelton High School Headmaster, said, “I have learned that these gestures come from schools in my league or in close proximity to me. To have students drive over an hour, from a school across the state, and hand deliver their expression of sympathy is commendable. It is a reminder that educators are teaching students intrinsic values that will last a lifetime.” The unexpected gesture brought several staff members and students to tears, as they learned of this act of kindness. Bolton High School’s vision statement indicates that they “educate students to become capable, ethical, healthy, responsible and thoughtful citizens.” Smith added, “The kindness that they demonstrated to Shelton High School proves that their student council is practicing the vision of their school.”

By Dr. Beth Smith, Headmaster, Shelton High School