Manchester student drowns during school trip to Germany
A Manchester High School student died in a drowning accident during a school trip to Germany, the school district confirmed Wednesday.
Interim superintendent Kevin Mowrer said the student was participating in one of the school’s foreign language trips as a part of the district’s exchange program that has existed for 20 years.
A report from WXYZ identified the student as Anthony Radze, who was to be a senior at Manchester High School. Mowrer said he would not confirm the name of the student at the request of the student’s family.
The district will hold two sessions, one at noon Thursday and the other at noon on Friday at Manchester High School, for students, parents and other community members to meet with the Washtenaw County Traumatic Events Response Network.
Mowrer said the school sends students involved in the Spanish and German programs on annual trips, which are reciprocated by the foreign schools in the fall. , “They stay with our families and we’ll stay with theirs. At night, they’ll go to the beach or a show, various places so that’s when the drowning incident occurred,” Mowrer said.
Mowrer, who also serves as principal of Manchester High School, did not know exactly when the student died and said German officials are handling the investigation.
Kyle Feldscher covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
ChelseaGirl
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 4:57 p.m.
As a Manchester resident I am so sad to see all the media hoopla going on, however, our small town has just come together to help support this young man's family. I have known this young man's mother since our high school days and just so sad that she and her family have suffered such a terrible loss. My prayers are with you.
kdadnick
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 11:09 p.m.
I really wish AnnArbor.com would not have written the child's name followed by the sentence "Mowrer said he would not confirm the name of the student at the request of the student's family." Could it have been sufficient to say the family has asked that the students name not be in the news at this time? I know there are readers constantly clamoring for more details, but there's humanity in taking the high road and respecting the wishes of family until details can be worked out. God's blessings on this family as they come to terms with this terrible tragedy.
Jake C
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 1:47 p.m.
I understand families go through a lot of grief at a time like this, but how does a simple article like this intrude on the family's personal life? The school has already scheduled Traumatic Event sessions, and the family spoke to WXYZ, so presumably anyone even remotely connected to this student already knows what happened. The media can serve an important role by just getting the basic facts out there, and not letting everything filter through the "small town rumor mill"...
aawolve
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 1:10 p.m.
Yup, stay classy annarbor.com.
WalkingJoe
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 11:55 p.m.
I agree kdadnick. Just because WXYZ found it necessary doesn't mean it's right. Having recently lost my daughter tragically I know how the family feels when the press feels the need to intrude in their time of grief. My prayers go out for them in this time of immense loss.
Bulldog
Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 10:47 p.m.
God bless his family and friends during this difficult time.