COPPERAS COVE (June 18, 2009)—Thirteen students at the Copperas Cove Alternative Learning Campus on Avenue E were taken to hospitals Thursday after taking drugs that a classmate was handing out.

Cove police and paramedics responded to the school at about 1 p.m. Thursday after receiving a report of a possible drug overdose involving a student who had taken an unknown medication.

Officers detained the student who provided the medication and recovered an unspecified prescription drug and a variety of over-the-counter medications, police said.

Officers then determined that other students had taken the drugs, as well.

Eight were taken to the hospital by ambulance.

Five others were taken by their parents.

The student who handed out the drugs was taken into custody and was transferred to the Limestone County Juvenile Detention Center in Groesbeck, police said.

Police are now trying to determine exactly what the students took, spokesman Daniel Austin said.

One of the drugs was the prescription anti-depressant Wellbutrin, Austin said.

The 13 students were jittery and had flushed faces, racing heartbeats and elevated blood pressure, Austin said.

The Copperas Cove School District issued a one-sentence statement about the incident late Thursday afternoon.

“We will wait until the police department's investigation is complete then we will decide on any disciplinary action to be taken,” the statement said.

Eight-four junior high school students were attending summer school at the Alternative Learning Campus.

According to the school district’s Web site, Friday classes have been cancelled.

Classes resume on Monday.