Simcoe Composite School is bracing itself for a day of shock and grief after one of its cheerleaders was killed Sunday morning by what police say was a drunk driver.

Educators recalled Samantha Aspden, 18, as being a bubbly, positive and outgoing person who battled to remain high-spirited following the death of her father during her first year of high school.

Aspden was two weeks away from graduating from high school and had planned to become a paramedic.

"She was just absolutely full of life and enthusiasm," said SCS principal Helene High. "She had an incredible zest for life."

Norfolk OPP say Aspden was walking down the road she lived on, County Road 19, west of Teeterville at about 1:30 a.m. when she was struck by an eastbound car.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police say the driver initially fled and then returned about half an hour later when he was arrested.

Aspden was part of a successful cheer team at SCS that went on to compete at county, provincial and national meets. In February 2007, the team went to Hawaii and performed at the NFL Pro Bowl.

"She was a very gentle spirit," said her coach Tanya Borghese. "She was always encouraging or helping out."

She was also generous, said Borghese.

After the team was done eating pizza while sitting on the beach in Hawaii, Aspden asked for the leftover pieces. She then delivered them to homeless people she had spotted sitting nearby, Borghese said.

"That's Sammy. That was nothing unusual."

SCS will hold its year-end assembly today and then students will enter exams.

"I can't imagine what the next couple of weeks will be like," High said.

A team of grief counsellors will be on hand at the school, she said.

Last week, SCS lost teacher Mike Whiton to leukemia while another student died earlier this year of cancer.

The death of Aspden will hit hard, High said.

"What do you say for something as senseless and as useless and as devastating as this?" she asked.

Charged with impaired driving causing death, drunk driving, failing to remain at the scene of an accident, and dangerous driving is Matthew Sinden-Hanson, 18, of Windham Road 2.