By Zoe Cate, Ari Goodman and Sarah Westergren, Online Associate Editor, Staff Writer, and Online Editor-in-Chief
// The Acalanes Union High School District (AUHSD) suffered yet another loss last week with the sudden death of Las Lomas junior Roy Sen, hosting its second support day in two weeks on Friday, Dec. 7.
Acalanes Leadership first supported students of Miramonte High School, who lost 16-year-old Luca Gero to a 4 a.m. house fire on Nov. 30. Following the loss of Sen, administration organized a second support day to show their solidarity. The cause of his death has yet to be disclosed.
“I think it was pretty similar [to the Miramonte Support Day],” Acalanes Leadership teacher Ashley Richman said. “I saw a lot of the same faces.”
Leadership delivered a poster late Thursday night, writing “We love you, Las Lomas,” to show their support across the district. That Friday, students crossed arms for a school-wide photo, dressed in Las Lomas’ maroon and gold hues. After drafting a card for the Sen family, students sent their condolences.
By Anna Yiannikos
The same day, Las Lomas held a vigil in honor of Sen.
“Los Lomas is still in recovery from the event of Roy’s death. We are all in different stages of shock denial, sadness, and grief,” Las Lomas junior Josh Roseman said. “Many kids at our school still needed a chance to grieve for our classmate and needed a different school schedule.”
A close friend of Roy’s agreed, discouraged by the loss.
“It saddens me that such a person like him passed away,” Las Lomas senior Sasha Mogilevitz said. “He was a great guy. The vigil was very touching and moving.”
In the wake of the tragedy, Roseman urges students to savor the time they have with those around them.
“A message to all students out there: take a moment to look at your fellow classmates, your friends, your acquaintances, people you don’t talk to, and even your enemies,” Roseman said. “It may take a while, but eventually, you’ll see each one of them matters to you, and if one were to vanish instantly, it would shake your world to the core.”