A Michigan high school student was reported dead during a trip to Houston for a national robotics competition, local school officials confirmed. The student, whose identity is currently withheld, was in Houston with Lake Orion High School's robotics team when they passed away on April 19.

The Superintendent of Lake Orion Community Schools, Ben Kirby, shared the somber news in a letter to parents and students last Friday, expressing the community's collective grief. "It is with deep regret that we inform you about a recent loss to our school. One of our current high school students suddenly passed away. Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers go out to their family and friends.", Kirby conveyed in the letter, according to the Fox 2 Detroit report.

In the face of this tragedy, Lake Orion High School has assured that a team of crisis management professionals is available to assist students and staff. The school's robotics team, FIRST Team 302, also took to Facebook to express their gratitude for the community's support during this challenging period. "This has been an incredibly challenging time for our team and community, and we are grateful for the overwhelming support we've received," the team stated. They also emphasized the importance of respecting the family's privacy at this time.

While the specifics regarding the student's cause of death have not been made public, Kirby's letter underscored the devastation felt by the Lake Orion school body and the urgency with which they plan to support those affected. "Lake Orion High School and LOCS have a crisis team of professionals trained to help with the needs of students and school personnel at difficult times such as these. We are saddened by the loss to our school community and will make every effort to support our high school students through this tragedy.", as quoted in the Houston Chronicle.

The FIRST Championship, which the students attended, is a premier event held by the nonprofit organization FIRST, that aims to inspire young people in engineering and technology fields. Lake Orion High School's team was among the participants competing at the George R. Brown Convention Center when the incident occurred.