The Altoona Area School District is reeling after the deaths of two students this weekend in two separate traffic accidents.

Early Sunday morning, an Altoona-area women’s soccer player died in an accident in Altoona (see related story on page A1). Later that day, district officials learned of another accident that claimed the life of a male student.

It’s been a difficult couple of days, said Paula Foreman, district spokeswoman.

“To have a loss of life at this young age, it’s (especially difficult),” she said.

In both cases, the district is providing additional grief counseling and support at the high school for staff and students who need it, according to a memo to parents signed by district Superintendent Brad Hatch.

Parents with concerns about their children’s reactions to the deaths can call the Counseling Department at 814-946-8277, Hatch said in the memo.

After receiving initial reports, the district confirmed the second death with the victim’s family, Foreman said.

It appears to have been a one-car accident, she said, adding that she has limited information at this time.

A single-vehicle crash around 10:30 p.m. Sunday on Route 30 in East Providence Township killed two passengers and seriously injured the driver, according to a state police report.

The Mirror could not confirm that this accident is the same accident that led to the student’s death.

According to the case report, a 1999 Honda Accord driven by Kaleb L. Strong, 19, of Altoona, left the westbound lane, struck an embankment, spun several times and came to rest facing the east, in the right lane to the west.

During the crash, the two backseat passengers were ejected, state police said. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. The adult victim has been identified as Kamren D. Martin, 22, of State College. The other male victim was not identified in the police report and his age was not given.

A fourth occupant, Tyler W. Young, 27, of Tyrone, suffered suspected minor injuries, according to the report.

Strong was transported to Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center for treatment of suspected serious injuries, while Young was transported to Fulton County Medical Center.