Students honor classmates who died too soon

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune
Brad and Kathy Newbold, parents of murder victim Sierra Newbold, are honored during a memorial and dedicatory service, Friday, October 5 2012 at West Jordan Elementary School. Students, teachers and staff joined members of the community in a memorial ceremony for two West Jordan Elementary students who passed away recently. A tree, memorial bench and plaques were dedicated for Sierra Newbold and Daniel Allen outside the school.

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune
A tree, memorial bench and plaques were dedicated for Sierra Newbold and Daniel Allen outside West Jordan Elementary School, Friday, October 5 2012 in West Jordan . West Jordan Elementary School students, teachers and staff joined members of the community in a memorial ceremony for two West Jordan Elementary students who passed away recently.

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune
l-r Dee Porter, her daughter Lani Allen holding son Tyler, 11months, Brad Newbold and Kathy Newbold and their son and daughter are honored during a memorial and dedicatory service, Friday, October 5 2012 in West Jordan.
West Jordan Elementary School students, teachers and staff joined members of the community in a memorial ceremony for two West Jordan Elementary students who passed away recently. A tree, memorial bench and plaques were dedicated for Sierra Newbold and Daniel Allen outside at the school.

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune
West Jordan Elementary School student Alyssa Veater, 6, ties a ribbon on the dedicatory tree in honor of her schoolmate Sierra Newbold Friday, October 5 2012 in West Jordan
West Jordan Elementary School students, teachers and staff joined members of the community in a memorial ceremony for two West Jordan Elementary students who passed away recently. A tree, memorial bench and plaques were dedicated for Sierra Newbold and Daniel Allen outside at the school.

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune
A bench inscribed with the words of Dr. Seuss reads

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune
Kathy Newbold, left, and Lani Allen hug during a memorial and dedicatory service, to their children Friday, October 5 2012 in West Jordan. West Jordan Elementary School students, teachers and staff joined members of the community in a memorial ceremony for two West Jordan Elementary students who passed away recently. A tree, memorial bench and plaques were dedicated for Sierra Newbold and Daniel Allen outside at the school.

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Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune Brad and Kathy Newbold, parents of murder victim Sierra Newbold, are honored during a memorial and dedicatory service, Friday, October 5 2012 at West Jordan Elementary School. Students, teachers and staff joined members of the community in a memorial ceremony for two West Jordan Elementary students who passed away recently. A tree, memorial bench and plaques were dedicated for Sierra Newbold and Daniel Allen outside the school. Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune A tree, memorial bench and plaques were dedicated for Sierra Newbold and Daniel Allen outside West Jordan Elementary School, Friday, October 5 2012 in West Jordan . West Jordan Elementary School students, teachers and staff joined members of the community in a memorial ceremony for two West Jordan Elementary students who passed away recently. Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune l-r Dee Porter, her daughter Lani Allen holding son Tyler, 11months, Brad Newbold and Kathy Newbold and their son and daughter are honored during a memorial and dedicatory service, Friday, October 5 2012 in West Jordan. West Jordan Elementary School students, teachers and staff joined members of the community in a memorial ceremony for two West Jordan Elementary students who passed away recently. A tree, memorial bench and plaques were dedicated for Sierra Newbold and Daniel Allen outside at the school. Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune West Jordan Elementary School student Alyssa Veater, 6, ties a ribbon on the dedicatory tree in honor of her schoolmate Sierra Newbold Friday, October 5 2012 in West Jordan West Jordan Elementary School students, teachers and staff joined members of the community in a memorial ceremony for two West Jordan Elementary students who passed away recently. A tree, memorial bench and plaques were dedicated for Sierra Newbold and Daniel Allen outside at the school. Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune A bench inscribed with the words of Dr. Seuss reads "A person is a person no matter how small," Friday, October 5 2012 in West Jordan. It was one of Sierra Newbold's favorite passages.West Jordan Elementary School students, teachers and staff joined members of the community in a memorial ceremony for two West Jordan Elementary students who passed away recently. A tree, memorial bench and plaques were dedicated for Sierra Newbold and Daniel Allen outside at the school. Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune Kathy Newbold, left, and Lani Allen hug during a memorial and dedicatory service, to their children Friday, October 5 2012 in West Jordan. West Jordan Elementary School students, teachers and staff joined members of the community in a memorial ceremony for two West Jordan Elementary students who passed away recently. A tree, memorial bench and plaques were dedicated for Sierra Newbold and Daniel Allen outside at the school. Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune A tree, memorial bench and plaques were dedicated for Sierra Newbold and Daniel Allen outside West Jordan Elementary School, Friday, October 5 2012 in West Jordan . West Jordan Elementary School students, teachers and staff joined members of the community in a memorial ceremony for two West Jordan Elementary students who passed away recently.

The Salt Lake Tribune

· October 5, 2012 3:38 pm

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Students and teachers at West Jordan Elementary School gathered along with parents Friday to commemorate the deaths of two students earlier this year: Sierra Newbold, who was murdered on June 26, and Daniel Allen, who died Aug. 25 after a two-year battle with brain cancer. A bench inscribed with one of Sierra's favorite passages from a Dr. Seuss book was donated to the school to honor her memory, while a nearby plaque will commemorate Daniel's too-short life. Students also tied ribbons on a newly-planted tree in a living tribute to both their classmates. Read more about the students at bit.ly/SQ4eDD.