A loud crash thundered across the campus of Argyle High School as an entire structure demolished right before spectators’ eyes.

“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” senior class officer Arya Monticino said. “I was not even 100 yards away driving in my car to a band rehearsal when I looked up to see construction pieces flying everywhere. It was like something out of a movie.”

The recently constructed frame for the AHS indoor athletic complex (IAC) collapsed April 2 at 7:38 a.m. Many construction workers surrounded the site, but three were seriously injured, and one man, Julio Ledesma, was killed. No students or faculty members were harmed.

With high winds and unstable beams, the sides of the structure first began to waver then crashed to the ground.

“I was walking into the high school, and I heard something so horribly loud,” math teacher Marla Warden said. “I looked up to see the metal structure collapse from all sides.”

In the hallways before school started, students were crowding around windows and in the parking lot to watch as Argyle and Denton County public safety responders began to arrive around 7:45 a.m.

“It was scary for some of us who have younger siblings here,” senior Becca Cox said. “We didn’t know what was going on and thought maybe our siblings were in there.”

Superintendent Dr. Telena Wright was on her way to work when the IAC collapsed, yet she was still one of the first community members to be notified of the disaster.

“My initial reaction was ‘are there any injuries?’” Wright said. “I had to come to the sight and see the extent of the damage.”

Officials did not discover why the structure collapsed, but there is much speculation as to how this could slip past the construction company’s fingers. Northstar Builders Group lead construction efforts through a $45-million bond package passed in 2014, which payed for the IAC, new tennis courts, and turf for the athletic fields.

“We will get answers,” Wright said. “It was a very sad, tragic happening, and I am very sorry for the loss of life on the construction site today, but I am grateful no students, parents, or staff were in danger.”

Although an investigation is underway, reconstruction and “pointing fingers” is the last worry found within the community Wright said. All focus is directed toward the deceased construction worker who left behind three daughters.

“People will always remember the loss of life that occurred today,” Wright said. “The tragic loss of his life is what concerns me right now.”

To help relieve some pain inflicted on the Ledesma family, English teacher Jeanna Sutton and school organizations like Challenge Day Club and Student Council are asking the student body for donations. Also, the counselors are accepting letters that will be given to the affected families on Friday, April 3.

“I am proud of the Argyle Community’s willingness to serve,” Sutton said. “We want to do something that will always remember his life because this man died working on our school. It is now our job to rally together and honor him.”

Candlelight Vigil Held to Commemorate Life Lost

Following the catastrophic event of the indoor athletic complex crash, the Ledesma family held a candlelight vigil on April 3 at Argyle High School next to the site of Julio Ledesma’s death.

Before the vigil began, the AHS varsity softball team decided to honor the three Ledesma girls by painting ‘3’s on their cheeks for the game.

“We knew the three girls were going to be there, so wanted to show them that we are here for them and that we support them,” center fielder Lilly Carter said.

But while the girls played on the field, they felt “it was beyond disrespectful” for the baseball and softball games to continue while the vigil began only a few feet away.

“I was just standing in left field when this morning someone passed away,” left fielder Kaylie Pool said. “I felt terrible; I felt like we shouldn’t even be playing right now.”

As soon as end-game buzzer sounded, the team went to support the family, and despite the fact they did not personally know Ledesma, his life affected each teammate.

The majority of the ceremony was held in Spanish; family members sang traditional prayers and mourning songs.

“Everyone was crying and hugging each other and singing in both English and Spanish,” Carter said. “Even though there was a language barrier, we were all still able to be there for each other.”

Through all the tears, Ledesma’s three daughters lost more than a parent. They lost the family’s primary financial provider as well.

“I just went and gave them a hug and said ‘I am so sorry for your loss,” Pool said. “All you can say is I am sorry.”

After the initial prayer and song, community members were allowed to give their condolences to the family. When Pool went to speak to the youngest daughter, the little girl said it hadn’t hit her yet.

“She opened up to me when I told her it was going to be okay,” Pool said. “She said ‘My dad always promised me I would look so beautiful for my Quinceañera, and he was going to be there for me. But he won’t be any more.’ I tried to tell her he would still be there for her but in a different way, but she wouldn’t listen.”

In order to keep in touch, Pool and other members of the softball team exchanged numbers with the Ledesma girls to help with the mourning process.

“They’ll be able to move forward as a family, but the little aspects of life Julio used to be a part of is always going to be empty and put an ache on their hearts,” Carter said. “The entire softball team wanted to help them and continue to help them as long as they want it.”

Community Members Consider the Question:

How Does Argyle Move Forward?

Several weeks after the collapse of the indoor athletic complex (IAC) on April 2, 2015 that resulted in the death of construction worker Julio Ledesma, many students and AISD officials are left with one question that needed answering. How will Argyle move forward?

Before AISD officials could reach a conclusion, the School Board called an emergency meeting on April 13, 2015 to determine the cause of the collapse. At the meeting, the Trustees ordered a third-party safety audit and accepted a voluntary stand-down of all construction and renovation projects from the main contractor, Northstar Builders Group.

“I completely agree with having a second pair of eyes on the situation,” sophomore Jenna Martin said. “They should have had someone checking for something like this throughout the entire process.”

Northstar Builders Group was voted upon back in 2014 to build the following projects: indoor athletic complex, renovations and upgrades to the baseball and softball fields, addition of a ladies locker room, visitor restrooms at the football stadium, and expansion of the stadium bleachers. AISD officially halted production on each project until the Board received satisfactory reviews and written reports.

“We are committed to working closely with our current construction contractors to promote safety throughout the entire school district,” President of the Argyle ISD Board of Trustees Eric Fields said.

After waiting two weeks, reviewing safety reports and revised safety standards, AHS deemed it safe to begin rebuilding efforts and formally announced their continuation with Northstar Builders Group on April 29, 2015.

“The suspension of work gave us the time to work with a safety expert and review Northstar’s safety procedures,” Fields said. “With these measures, our goal is to verify contractors that Argyle ISD is taking every step possible to avoid preventable accidents.”

Northstar’s construction group implemented several protective measures following the safety reviews, like warning signs on fenced perimeters, enhanced fencing and gates, and debris removal.

“I actually saw the building collapse,” senior Arya Monticino said. “It was the scariest, most surreal thing I have ever seen. So, now it’s like déjà vu because one day it was down, and now it’s being built up again the exact same way. It’s just eerie.”

Although changes have been made to the construction process, students remain unsure about the safety of their school.

“They have to change something,” sophomore Hannah Wildeveld said. “In order for me to feel safe again, many things must be done differently.”

Moving forward from the tragic event, AISD strives to make every child “feel safe when at school, in the classroom, and on the playground.”

“Our top priority is the safety and the well-being of our students, parents and staff,” Superintendent Dr. Telena Wright said. “I am proud to be a part of this wonderful community who has rallied around the family of the man who died at the construction site. Now, it is time to move forward.”