Editor's Note: This is part 3 of a four-part series on the plane crash of May 23, 2014, that took four lives, including three Aldo Leopold Charter School students and the pilot.
By Mary Alice Murphy
After the anguish'audible and silent, external and internal'Aldo Leopold Charter School personnel and the parents of the three students who died in a plane crash on May 23, 2014, as well as the family of the pilot, Dr. Peter Hochla, who also died, began a long road to recovery from grief.
The first organized activity, after the first gathering the evening of the crash, was a memorial for the three students'Michael Sebastian Mahl, 16, Ella Sala Myers, 16, and Ella Jaz Kirk, 14'organized by the school.
You can read a comprehensive article on the memorial at this link: http://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/16129-memorial-for-the-two-ellas-and-michael-victims-of-a-tragic-plane-crash . The memorial took place Sunday, June 1, 2014, at the Western New Mexico University Fine Arts Theatre to a packed house. Attendees learned about the accomplishments of the three students in various ways'in the pride of the parents who spoke about their son and daughters, in the ways fellow students described the three, in words, in music, poetry, and film.
[Editor's Note: The following is an excerpt from the above article.]
Joshua Reeves, a recent ALCS graduate, who was part of the eco-monitoring team, said: "Their reach was far into the community. Each led amazing lives." He said he and Steve Blake were their mentors for the arts and the environment for the EnviroThon competition, at which they placed first place at state. "They were monitoring the fuel load in the Gila and the soils. They wanted to bring art and science together. They had each other."
He said Michael could be a little cocky, but he knew everything would be OK. "Ella Jaz hyped us up with her nerdy intelligence. I had to push Ella Myers to show how intelligent she was. The Ellas did not like each other, but that changed. They grew to love each other."
"Yes, they were flawed," Reeves continued. "I am grateful I saw how they grew together. The goal is not perfection, but these three were the rope that held the team together. They became a true team, working together.
"Michael had a suave charm, and his confidence drove them forward," he said. "Ella Jaz was the brains. She had so much knowledge, and her drive and focus kept them going. Ella Myers was so quick, but she kept her ideas to herself. She was the soul. She was quiet, because Ella Jaz and Michael overshadowed her. She would pull them back in and keep them grounded. Where one's weakness began, another one of the team took over. Ella Myers kept it steady. And yes, we got first place at state. They were constantly adding to the databank of knowledge. They fought for the river and wanted security for the forest. They wanted harmony for people. They have kindled the flame in all of us. We must come together so we can make this world as beautiful as they were."
The parents thought they would hear something from the school on what happened to their children. However, they had to wait and wait, so they began to come together to request changes at the school.
The main instigator of the collaborations was Ella Kirk's mother, Patrice Mutchnick.
On June 12, 2014, about three weeks after the crash, Mutchnick spoke to the ALCS Governing Council, requesting several items. According to the minutes of that meeting, "Patrice would like the school to do three things: 1. Have the meeting where everyone in the school that day has a chance to tell what happened. Have a good outside note-taker. Know the steps that led up to the event. 2. Open meeting for parents to have questions addressed. It would be good for the school to know everything they can in advance of the meeting. Get ideas, collect questions, explain what happened. Patrice is willing to be part of that in limited scope. Have an outside mediator. 3. Create a plan to convince and inspire trust. Patrice believes this is an opportunity for auspicious change."
Also from the minutes: "She recommends training in risk management for all staff. Perhaps an Outdoor Educator/Risk Manager on site to remove the burden from one individual. Patrice knows the school is able to convey the spirit of these childrenG