Schools rally around Bellbrook High after deadly crash

BELLBROOK, Ohio (WDTN) - Armed with posters and flowers, Oakwood High School cheerleaders and student council members entered rival Bellbrook High School. But Thursday, they were welcomed with open arms.

Oakwood is one of many Miami Valley schools reaching out to Bellbrook after the loss of three bright young women in a weekend accident.

“We can’t even imagine the pain they’re feeling going through this,” said Oakwood student council president Christian Gray.

Together, the students add their posters and flowers to a common area at Bellbrook that’s become a memorial for 17-year-old Sophie Kerrigan,16-year-old Skylar Kooken and 14-year-old Julianna Hawk. Also hanging in that space are posters from Miamisburg and Carroll High Schools and down the hall are flowers from Eaton, Valley View and Greeneview.

“The support has been outstanding for our school and also directly for the families here that are going through this terrible time,” Bellbrook Principal Chris Baker said.

Oakwood’s students shared roses and declared Friday purple and gold day—they’ll wear Bellbrook’s colors to school in support of their grieving rivals.

“We feel a lot of sympathy and we’re here for them. Even though we’re like huge rivals on the football field and on the basketball court, when it comes to these sorts of things, we’re here for them and we’re still a community,” Gray said, “We want to help them through this as best we can.”

In the meantime, Bellbrook school leaders tell 2 NEWS they are focused on the families of the three young women who were killed and the other students who were hurt in the crash.

Students have been able to share their grief through photos and small mementos left in the spaces dedicated to each of the victims and slowly, the bustle will return to Bellbrook’s halls, albeit three voices short.