UPDATE: Students gathered on the football field after school on April 3 to remember those lost in a tragic crash.
The students formed a heart on the football field, released balloons in the air, and watched a video montage of their lost peers.
ORIGINAL STORY: Students at Centennial High School returned to class for the first time Tuesday, after four of their classmates died during spring break.
In a note home to parents, the school expressed grief and understanding for those affected by the tragic events. Grief counselors and staff were available for students who needed to express their feelings about the loss.
"I didn't notice anything different, but a lot of my friends just seemed more down today," said Centennial Junior Parker Farley.
Farley said from the outside it appeared business as usual at school but he could recognize some students were taking the loss of AJ Rossi, Dylan Mack and Brooke Hawley especially hard.
A fourth student, Matt Touma, 16, was found dead in an apparent suicide last week. Contact 13 spoke to his father, Bob Touma, who says his son was on the JV football team and a swimmer. Touma said his son showed no warning signs and what led up to his death remains unclear.
"My physics teacher Mr. Snipes, he made a connection with us about a person that he lost and I think that students who lost these kids were able to connect with that and feel a bit better," added Farley.
Some parents say the recent tragedies are bringing up other emotions.
“Empathy, because I had my two kids get hit by drunk driver but my kids were lucky," said parent Martha Farley.
Martha Farley says her two current Centennial High School students were injured in a crash in Texas a few years ago.
"For us, the conversation is probably little bit different than others because we relive our own accident a little," said Farley.
