On August 21, students took a break from class to watch the total solar eclipse. For the first time in hundreds of years, the eclipse was visible right in our backyard!

The opportunity to see totality without having to travel was fascinating, and students were not the only ones excited! Mr. Matt Winkelmann was blaring “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler in the hallway, and Mr. Jim Zuroweste was sporting an eclipse T-shirt. In spirit of the eclipse, every class from Actor’s Studio to Physical Science was learning about it on the big day.

“It turned everybody into little kids, because everyone was so excited. It’s just so exciting something like that can just turn us into little children,” said Mr. Winkelmann.

Many students took a day off to experience the eclipse in their own way. Junior Amina Islam traveled with a group of her closest friends to her lake house in Innsbrook.

“We were out in the middle of the lake while the eclipse was occurring. We packed the canoe with a bunch of food, our eclipse glasses and our phones in Ziploc bags. After that, we paddled out to a floating dock in the water and tied all the boats to it so we could sit on the dock and eat. It was amazing to share the amazing experience with people who I care about,” said Islam.

Senior Grace Fink was on the peer ministry retreat in Eureka, Missouri during the solar eclipse. This group of faith leaders had two full minutes of totality!

“It was so amazing to get to see the eclipse with the other peer ministers. When everything got dark and the bugs came out, everyone got really excited. I’m so glad I got to share this experience with people I care about,” said Fink.

Whether you watched it from the tennis courts or went on an adventure with your friends, the total solar eclipse was a day to remember!