A student at Lake Region High School died during a senior class hiking and camping trip in New Hampshire over the weekend.

SAD 61 Superintendent Alan Smith confirmed Wednesday that a male student died Sunday after suffering a medical emergency. He did not provide the student’s name, at the request of the family.

“It’s just a horrible situation for everyone involved,” Smith said.

Approximately 60 students, about half the senior class, and several Lake Region High staff members participated in the trip to Baldface Mountain in New Hampshire, an annual event offered to seniors, Smith said.

The group was hiking on Slippery Brook Trail when the student suffered the medical emergency. Rescue officials with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department responded, and a LifeFlight helicopter was called as well, but the student died before he could be taken to a hospital.

Smith said he didn’t know the cause of death or even whether that had been determined. He said the school staff members on the trip all provided statements. A spokesman for the Carroll County Sheriff did not return a call Wednesday.

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Smith said grief counselors were sent to the campsite Monday and have been at the school all week as well.

“Some kids are struggling. Some might be and you just don’t know it,” he said. “So we’re trying to do what we can to provide resources to anyone who needs them.”

Smith said he has been in contact with the student’s family and has offered to host a memorial at the school.

He said he’s dealt with student deaths as a school administrator for two decades, but nothing quite like this.

“The difference with other situations I’ve dealt with, like a car accident or a suicide, is that those weren’t group events where other students witnessed what happened,” he said.

Lake Region High School serves about 550 students in the western Cumberland County towns of Naples, Casco and Bridgton. It’s on Route 302 in Naples.

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