The Kansas Highway Patrol identified the four high school girls who died Thursday morning in a tragic car accident.

17-year-olds Victoria Dowell, Julia Alcala, Veronica McDaniel and 16-year-old Myranda Mason were killed in the accident. The driver of the car, 17-year-old Jennifer Longfellow was injured in the crash and was flown to an Amarillo, Tex. hospital.

The Ulysses police chief said that four high school students were killed Thursday afternoon after their car was struck by an 18-wheeler at the intersection of Highway 160 and Stubbs Rd.

The accident happened three minutes before noon, according to the chief. Ulysses High School has an open lunch policy.

The police chief said Longfellow''''''''s car stopped at the intersection, but then proceeded across the highway into the path of the semi.

He said the car was struck on the passenger side and spun around into a ditch. The semi appeared to have been eastbound.

"They were very typical high school sophomore girls," said Ulysses High School Principal Rodger Hilton. "They were full of life and vitality. Two of them were on the softball team and another was a cheerleader."

Thursday''''''''s girls softball game was canceled and a prayer vigil was planned at a local church. Meanwhile, Hilton said school will resume on Friday with grief counselors on hand.

"The best advise is for parents to encourage their kids to return to normal activities as quickly as possible," Hilton says. "That includes returning to school tomorrow. It''''''''s going to be toughest day, but each day after will get better and better."

Ulysses is a town of about 5,600 people about 60 miles west of Dodge City.