SPARKS, NV - Hundreds of students at Shaw Middle School in Spanish Springs are learning to cope with death, many of them for the very first time. An eighth grade girl died suddenly Tuesday morning, after collapsing on campus.

School officials still have not released a cause of death for the 13-year-old, leaving students and parents with a lot of unanswered questions. Students had the Veterans' Day holiday off to grieve with their respective families, but Thursday back at school, there was no question, they were healing together.

Students used group hugs to help deal with their pain. The loss of their friend and classmate came as a complete shock.

"Students this age believe they are immortal, that nothing like this could ever happen. And when something like this happens, it rocks their entire concept of the world," said Shaw Middle School principal, Dave Fullenwider.

Fullenwider wore a bracelet with the young girl's initials, made by her classmates. He says it's been a devastating couple of days for his students, but that writing down condolences and messages goodbye has begun to help.

More than a dozen extra school counselors have been on campus this week, helping students come to terms with the death. Counselor Cindy Raymond says she's trained to deal with these types of crises, but when word spread about the girl collapsing in a school hallway, the kids immediately wanted the details.

"It's uncomfortable for all of us because we don't know why. So the question keeps coming up, why so young? Why so soon?" said Shaw Middle School Counselor, Cindy Raymond.

With still no word on why the young girl's life was cut short, students continue to search for their own ways to move forward. Raymond says middle school is an already an awkward age--add a death and it could take months for many of the students to heal.

"We all grieve differently. We all go through different stages. We go in and out of stages," said Raymond.

The principal says he's focusing on the future, but continuing to let students band together, in order to remember their friend. He says the young leadership student, flag team member, and choir singer will be intensely missed.

"I believe that had she been with us, she would have done great things," said Fullenwider.

Friday, some students plan to bring a flower to school, and wear the color purple in their friend's honor. Principal Fullenwider says next Thursday they'll also be holding something called a "Miracle Minute" where all the students will collect money to give to the young girl's family or a charity of their choice. If you'd like to be involved, or make a donation, you can contact shaw middle school at 425-7777.

A spokesman for the Washoe County Superintendent's Office tells us it could be more than a week before we find out what happened Tuesday morning when the eighth grader collapsed. An autopsy was scheduled for Thursday morning, with a toxicology report to follow. The school is in touch with the girl's family, and says they'll release more information to the public as they see fit.