Students in Smithfield, Rhode Island, are mourning the unexpected loss of a cherished music and theatre teacher after a very brief illness.
The Smithfield High School Music Booster Club announced with heavy hearts on Saturday that Katherine Young had died, calling her a beloved teacher, colleague and friend. She was 37.
"Her fierce and passionate dedication to the SHS community will never be forgotten. Her smile shone brightly," a Facebook post read. "May her legacy live on through the lives of those she has touched. Thank you, Katherine, for making our world a better place."
Counselors were available over the weekend, and will be again throughout the week for students, faculty and staff, according to the post.
Young, who died from complications of the flu, worked at the school for 10 years and was a favorite among students, NBC10 Boston affiliate WJAR reports.
Facebook was flooded with tributes to Young, with many calling her wonderful, caring and a bright light.
"She was special, she was a very special teacher at this school," Smithfield senior Alex Henson told WJAR. "Everybody misses her. There's a different feeling at the school."
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"The kids just loved her. They loved her smile. It just lit up the room, there's no other way to describe it," said Kelly Chartier, who worked alongside Young. "It's still a shock right now. I haven't processed it fully."
"The loss of Katherine has definitely left a hole in our department and in our lives," said booster club president Melissa Moroni. "She was just the spark of the school."
The boosters club asked the student body and faculty to wear purple on Tuesday to honor Mrs. Young.
"We would love to see the hallways in a wash of purple to show support," they wrote. "Rest in peace to a beautiful soul gone too soon."
According to the booster club, no official fundraisers for Young have been announced to date, and they urged the community to use caution when sharing posts.
Smithfield High School has organized a candlelight vigil for Young, according to WJAR. It will be held at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in Deerfield Park, and participants will walk along a path to the high school. The event is open to all.
Smithfield School Department Superintendent Dawn Bartz said in a letter to the school community that Young was a beloved member of not only the high school but of the entire Smithfield community.
"She has created a tremendously vibrant music and theater program not just at the high school but has worked with music teachers and programs at all of our schools for the past 10 years," Bartz wrote. "I know that her untimely passing will be very upsetting to students, faculty, and families."
According to the superintendent, Young lived in Smithfield with her family, including her husband and two young children, who are students at Pleasant View Elementary.
The superintendent said counseling services would be available all week.
"Every death presents us with many emotions and with questions that we may not be able to answer right away, however, we will provide you with accurate information as it becomes available," Bartz wrote. "Please know that your children may react to Katherine’s death in different ways and we are available to support them."
