School mourns student's death

The American flag flew at half-staff Wednesday at Eagle Ridge Christian School, and teachers and counselors had the task of teaching Thanksgiving lessons to children whose minds were on fifth- grader Brittany Michelle McDonald.

The 11-year-old was killed in car crash after school Tuesday.

"I think children are very resilient," said Janice Margrabe, principal at Eagle Ridge, which has just over 200 students from preschool to senior high. "They've all done very well today."

Students were called together Wednesday morning and told of the car accident. The parents of McDonald's 16 classmates had been called Tuesday night so they could break the news to their children.

Faith-based counselors met with the junior high and high school students. They discussed how thankful they were to have known Brittany, Margrabe said.

She said as they dealt with their own sadness, the students turned their attention to trying to offer comfort to Brittany's family.

On Wednesday, the children decorated a grinning portrait of Brittany as a special card for her parents, Bobby and Lula McDonald. The day before class photographs had been shot. Students also offered prayers for Brittany's 16-year-old sister, April, and two other teens injured in the crash.

According to reports from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the accident occurred when the car, driven by April McDonald, flew off a curve on County Road 206 just west of Cape Girardeau and struck a tree.

Other passengers were Blake Barks, 15, and Erica McDowell, 16. It's unknown whether any of the four were wearing seatbelts.

April McDonald, Barks and McDowell remain at the hospital in stable condition.

Visitation for Brittany McDonald will be held from 4-8 p.m. Saturday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home. The funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday at Mount Auburn Christian Church. Burial will follow at Lorimier Cemetery.

abuchanan@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160