A seventh-grade student at Bayfield Middle School died Tuesday in a one-car accident in Texas.

Shaniah Farmer was on a trip with her mother, Deanna Farmer; her younger brother, Hayden; and sister, Aubree, to visit their father, Ryan Farmer, and other family members in Texas, Ryan Farmer said.

The car rolled over while the family was driving near Junction, Texas, he said.

Hayden and Aubree Farmer are in good condition, but Deanna Farmer went to the hospital with a broken back, broken collarbone, broken ribs and broken facial bones, Ryan Farmer said.

As of Wednesday night, Deanna Farmer had been released and the family was driving home, he said.

Bayfield Middle School canceled CSAP testing until further notice, and students spent the day writing letters, poems and songs and creating posters and murals in Shaniah’s memory, said Molly Morningstar, a Bayfield Middle School teacher who had Shaniah in her English class and yearbook class.

After spending the day with students, Morningstar said students’ memories focused on Shaniah’s “playful, cheery personality and her super loud laugh.”

“She was one of those people who didn’t let things get her down. It was very rare to see her without a smile on her face,” Morningstar said. “She loved her friends a lot, and she had a beautiful demeanor.”

Shaniah’s death has further motivated students to raise funds for an assembly called Rachel’s Challenge that focuses on improving the way students treat others inspired by Rachel Scott, the first person killed at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999, Morningstar said.

“Our kids are determined,” she said. “This has been an inspiration for them to think about the fact that you should cherish life and cherish everybody.”

Hannah Arrington, one of Shaniah’s volleyball and basketball teammates, remembered Shaniah as very observant and a person who loved to talk.

“She was really nice and hated to be mean,” Arrington wrote in an email to The Durango Herald. “Especially in basketball, she could knock someone over if she wanted to, but she never liked to.”

Bayfield Middle School Principal Mike Lister emailed parents Tuesday afternoon informing them of the news.

“We were concerned that the news would break here at school without being prepared. We wanted to share as a school and begin the grieving process as a school,” Lister wrote.

Today, students were given space to go through the grieving process, he said.

“We wanted to give time for kids to be around each other and grieve and mourn,” Lister said.

A memorial service is scheduled for noon Monday at Bayfield High School, Ryan Farmer said.

“We would encourage everyone to come if they could,” he said. “We didn’t get to give her a wedding, so we want to make this a big deal to celebrate her life.”

ecowan @durangoherald.com