On the morning of September 16, 2006, The Pride of South Marching Band was informed that we had lost one of our own,    Miss Jennifer Held.
 
The 2006-2007 season was dedicated to Jennifer. 

Below is the article that was published in the Tribune-Star.


Community mourns death of Terre Haute South freshman Cause of death appears to be natural causes By Sue Loughlin The Tribune-Star TERRE HAUTE — Jennifer Held loved the performing arts — singing, playing drums in marching band or acting in a school play. On Saturday morning, members of the Terre Haute South Vigo High School marching band were stunned to learn that Held — one of their own — had died overnight in her home. Held, 14, was a South freshman and a graduate of Sarah Scott Middle School. The cause of death remains undetermined and under review, but it appears to be natural causes, said Dr. Roland Kohr, Vigo County coroner, who performed an autopsy Monday. The girl’s mother, Diane Held, believes it was a heart problem that caused her daughter’s death. On Friday night, “I tucked her in, kissed her and told her I loved her,” Diane Held said. “I did that every night.” When she went to wake up Jennifer on Saturday morning, her daughter had passed away. “I believe it was her time,” Diane Held said. “She walked the walk and talked the talk. She lived in the Lord.” Her daughter was an active member of Maryland Community Church, where she sang in the choir. Diane Held wants the visitation and funeral to be a celebration of her daughter’s life. “She woke up every morning with a smile on her face. She had a kind word for everyone and never left anyone out,” Diane Held said. “If she saw an outsider, she brought them in.” Her daughter loved to perform, and Jennifer will be buried in her South marching band uniform; at the cemetery, the South marching band drum line and a bagpiper will perform a salute to her. Jennifer Held has performed in the school district’s Performing Arts Workshops in past years, and would have had a part in the South fall musical, “Bye Bye Birdie.” “She was a super nice kid … and a great student,” said Principal Troy Fears, who informed band members about the death during a practice on Saturday and the entire school community Monday morning. The school observed a moment of silence in her memory. School counselors and a trauma/loss team were available to meet with students to help them cope with the abrupt loss of a fellow student, band member and good friend. On Monday evening, several of Held’s many friends crowded in her bedroom to pray, sing “Amazing Grace,” share happy memories and cry together. Brittany Gibson, a South junior, had grown up with Jennifer. “She’s amazing. She was the glue to our puzzle. She always kept people going and kept us in high spirits,” Gibson said. “She never had anything negative to say. And she loved duct tape.” Those gathered laughed at the mention of duct tape. Jennifer used duct tape a lot to repair things, such as a rip in someone’s pants. Duct tape is a symbolic reminder of Jennifer because it keeps things together, just as she did, her friends said. Some of the students wore green and black ribbons, Jennifer’s favorite colors. Others wore T-shirts with her picture, and on the back was written: “May your smile forever shine down on all of us from heaven.” Jennifer was in Girl Scouts and was part of the Indiana Volunteer Firefighters Auxiliary, which will present her with an honorary crown. She had always wanted to compete in its Miss Flame contest. South band director Tim Murphy described Held as “a wonderful kid and she always had a smile on her face.” He also remembered her as a hard worker. The marching band had been scheduled to participate in a band contest Saturday in Paoli and band members arrived early at South for a rehearsal. Later that morning, they learned of Held’s death; plans to participate in the contest were canceled. Band members “ … are a close-knit family and they are helping each other through it,” Murphy said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.” At South, students paid tribute in different ways. Some put photos and messages on her locker, with one note that read, “You’ll always be in our hearts.” In the band room, students were able to write messages and farewell notes on a paper banner that covered a chalkboard. Jennifer participated in the church’s choir, and each summer, she went to a church camp. When band members learned of her death Saturday, one of the students called the church’s youth pastor, and he went to help comfort them; he met with some of the students again Monday. The youth pastor, Tim Taylor, said he’s amazed at the impact she had in the few, short weeks she attended South. “She befriended and got close to a lot of kids in the band,” he said. “Many students have good memories of her.” Jeff Burress, band and music teacher at Sarah Scott, had her for band all three years and gave her at least two awards: outstanding eighth-grade percussion student and the eighth-grade director’s award — the highest award he gives. Held also played solo and ensemble, and she participated in pep band. “She did more than what she was asked all the time. She was a great kid,” Burress said. “She’ll be missed.” South freshman Sophie Koehler-Derrick attended Sarah Scott with Jennifer, and both were in the Performing Arts Workshop. “She had the most amazing voice,” Koehler-Derrick said. She remembered Jennifer was a runner-up in the Sarah Scott “Scottie Idol” contest, a school version of American Idol. Jennifer sang a beautiful rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” “Now, she’s also over the rainbow,” Koehler-Derrick said.