![In room 4101, Natalie Patterson ‘26, Ariana Magor ‘25 and Celina Salazar ‘25 create a poster in science teacher Kerry Reilly’s Chemistry Honors April 18. The three completed a worksheet and drawing to explain the implosion of a tank for their unit on gas laws. “At the start of class, we watched a video of the tank imploding,” Patterson said. “I think [making a drawing] is something new. I like more artsy activities.”](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_5019-1200x900.jpeg)
![The girls varsity soccer team walk back to their bench during halftime April 1. The Jags played against the Castle View Sabercats at the Douglas County Stadium and scored 3-0 W. “It felt really good [to beat Castle View]. I feel like that was a big win for us because knowing that we came together to beat a pretty good team has definitely given us some leverage for this season,” attacking midfielder Grace Rossner ‘24 said.](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC_4906-1-1200x1057.jpg)
![English teacher Colleen Lamb grades College Prep English assignments during period two Nov. 10. Lamb, who has been teaching for 27 years, decorates her classroom with posters and handmade college flags from her senior students. Everything I enjoy about English happens primarily in the classroom, Lamb said. So, thankfully, the college [I worked at] had a teaching program, and I was able to do my post-grad work for free while I was working [there].”](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_1158-1200x900.jpeg)
At 12:15 p.m. during third period April 8, people flooded the halls, film glasses in hand. It was not lunch time nor had an early dismissal been called, rather, hundreds of students and staff were headed to view the solar eclipse.
Colorado saw a partial solar eclipse across the state, visible between 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with the maximum partial eclipse taking place around 12:40 p.m. During the peak of the eclipse, the sky darkened, temperatures dropped and the light created different shaped shadows on the ground.
The partial eclipse ranged from 58% to 78% coverage across the state, with about 65.9% of the sun covered from the school’s angle, according to National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Eclipse Explorer Map.
“I think [the eclipse] was pretty unique since it’s been a long time since I’ve seen anything like it. Last time we saw it was in 2017,” Tristan Llado ‘26 said. “I think it was a unique experience, especially this year. I didn’t really expect it to look how it did. I kind of expected a more total eclipse, but I guess we’re not on like the trajectory so that kind of explains why.”
The solar eclipse comes after the last visible one took place in 2017, and one in 1979 before that. All contiguous 48 states had visibility of the eclipse, with total visibility zones stretching from Maine to Texas.
In response to the eclipse, some Colorado schools prohibited students from viewing the eclipse. National Public Radio (NPR) reported that Longmont’s St. Vrain Valley School District barred students from viewing the eclipse at school and required extra precaution in regards to time spent outside. But here, that was not the case.
Contrasting schools such as St. Vrain Valley, the school saw students pile in the upper lot area of the school to view the eclipse.
Students passed around eclipse glasses, made pinhole viewers and science teacher Jack Van Natta brought a telescope for students to view the eclipse through.
“I feel very lucky [to watch the eclipse at school] and I don’t know why they don’t let [the students watch] because it’s science and science is fun. I love science,” Sophia Foldery ‘26 said.
Solar eclipses usually take place every one to three years but are usually only visible from the ocean or the earth’s poles. NASA reports that the next visible solar eclipse in the contiguous United States after today’s won’t take place until Aug. 23, 2044.
“It’s just something that you don’t see often and when you get to see it it’s really cool. If you miss it, you got to wait, it takes a while. It’s pretty amazing so if you wanna come out and see it, I think it’s a good thing to take a break from class,” School Resource Officer (SRO) Mark Adams said.
