Hannah Jorgensen, 24, Dies During School Field Trip at Coralville Reservoir
The Borlaug Elementary School community in Coralville, Iowa, is mourning the tragic death of 24-year-old fifth-grade teacher Hannah Jorgensen, who died during a School of the Wild field trip at the MacBride Nature Recreation Area on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.
Jorgensen was participating in the fifth-grade educational outing when a water emergency was reported near the Coralville Reservoir spillway. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office responded shortly after noon after receiving a report of people in the water.
Emergency responders recovered Jorgensen from the Coralville Reservoir at approximately 12:43 p.m. Authorities said she was pronounced dead at the scene. Her death has left students, educators, families, and members of the wider Iowa City Community School District grieving.
A 10-year-old Borlaug Elementary student, Ahmed Osman of Iowa City, was also reported missing following the incident. Search crews continued working through Tuesday evening before suspending operations overnight. The search resumed Wednesday, September 23, when responders recovered Osman’s body from the reservoir.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed what led Jorgensen and Osman to enter the water. The circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.
Jorgensen’s death has been particularly difficult for the Borlaug Elementary community. At just 24, she was in the early stages of her teaching career and had become part of the daily lives of students and fellow educators. Her role as a fifth-grade teacher placed her in a position to guide and support children during an important period of their education.
The tragedy occurred during a field trip designed to give students hands-on outdoor learning experiences, adding to the shock felt by the school community.
The Iowa City Community School District expressed condolences to the families of Jorgensen and Osman, as well as their classmates, colleagues, friends, and everyone affected by the tragedy. Counselors and additional support personnel have been made available at Borlaug Elementary to help students and staff cope with the loss.
School of the Wild field trips have also been canceled for the foreseeable future as the community mourns and authorities continue investigating.
For Hannah Jorgensen’s family, friends, students, and colleagues, her sudden death represents the loss of a young educator whose life was dedicated to working with children. She will be remembered within the Borlaug Elementary community and by the many people whose lives she touched.
As the investigation continues, loved ones are left to mourn Jorgensen’s passing and remember the teacher, colleague, and person she was.
