The tragedy of losing someone so young who has so much life to live seems to elicit a different, more profound pain and loss. Children are meant to outlive their parents. Children are meant to grow into adults and start families of their own and leave their marks on the world.

Ja’Carian Toney was just a junior at CCA. His life was tragically cut short this past weekend. Although I did not know Ja’Carian, I do know despite leaving this world so young, he still left his mark. I know this because of the outpouring of love from students and faculty at CCA and social media posts describing “Scooby,” as he was affectionately referred to, and his actions with others.

Faculty and classmates provided the following heartfelt comments on Scooby.

Kadee McGough on behalf of the Junior class:

If you ask the 11th grade class to use one word to describe Scooby, it would no doubt be “humble.” Scooby always knew how to lighten a room up, whether it was sitting in class talking about being the next orthopedic surgeon to give Mrs. TeLenna’s a hip replacement when she gets old, or being the first boy to even offer to glitter letters for Homecoming. He would never correct anyone on thinking his name was Scoop when it was obviously Scooby, but if you asked him he just shook his head and went along with it. Scooby wasn’t just a humble kid in school, on the field and court, he was the most uplifting person and knew when it was time to get the job done. To Scooby, CCA was “a place he finally felt like he could be something one day.” It breaks our hearts that his dream to graduate and be successful wasn’t to be fulfilled, but we are overjoyed that the little time he spent here he had the feeling of being a part of a family and loved by all of us.

Lisa Williams on behalf of the teachers of CCA:

Teachers have the great privilege of considering their students their own children. Ja’Carian, affectionately known to all of us as Scooby or Scoop, was no different. He transferred to our school and immediately became a part of the CCA family…one of our treasured children. He was a gentle giant…until he got on the football field or the basketball court. Then, he became a force to be reckoned with! Scooby was a loyal friend, a hard-working student, and an exceptional athlete. He was polite, humble, kind, loyal, and intelligent. We loved him, and he flourished in that love. We will miss him every day, in every classroom and in all his sports, but he will always be a part of CCA.

Administrator Becky Baggett:

Scoop was a young man who was very purposeful in wanting to do the best he could at everything. He asked to be moved from a general math class to the advanced class because he wanted the challenge. He was one of the most respectful young men I have ever had as a student. He stopped and took up time with elementary students and they loved him. He set high goals for himself and was determined to reach them. He accepted the Lord in chapel a few weeks ago, and that gives us the great peace of knowing we will see him again. We are all better people for having Scoop touch our lives, although it was for a very short time. To know Scoop was to love him.

Coach Wayne Grant, head football coach:

Ja’Carian “Scooby” Toney was a center and defensive end on the Crenshaw Varsity Football Team. He earned All-County honors in his first season playing for the Cougars. He was loved by his teammates, and we will all miss him.