On April 9, students and faculty at Townsend Harris High School gathered on the Queens College track to witness a rare celestial event, a solar eclipse. Though New York State did not experience the totality, viewers were able to observe a large portion of the sun being covered by the moon.
Science teacher Joel Heitman said “The solar eclipse [brought students of] all grades outside on Queens College campus to witness an event such as the solar eclipse. It’s truly fascinating to witness it in real time.”
After an abbreviated school schedule, students, teachers, and staffgathered on the QC track, equipped with solar viewing glasses and telescopes, to safely observe the eclipse.
As the eclipse unfolded, teachers from the science department provided valuable insight into the celestial mechanics behind the phenomenon. Students had the opportunity to learn about solar eclipses, their causes, and their significance in the study of astronomy.
“The solar eclipse has truly been a unifying experience for our school community,” said junior Xavier Murphy, ” it felt like we were all part of something bigger than ourselves, and it brought us closer together.”
Sophomore Emir Gutic said that, “witnessing the eclipse together reflects our school’s dedication to experiential learning and exploration perfectly. It shows that our school values hands-on learning and encourages us to explore the world around us.”
Ellen Fee, Assistant Principal of Organization, reflected on the collaborative effort to ensure that students could witness the eclipse safely. “We all kind of worked together to compress the schedule and have us get out just in time to have it start. We tried to get enough glasses for everybody, but we didn’t have enough glasses until Saturday when Mr. Quach got a whole bunch of glasses. And so it kind of was like a team effort of everybody working to make it happen.”
The event was not only educational but also fostered a sense of unity among the school community. Students and faculty came together, sharing the awe-inspiring moment and creating lasting memories.
Freshman Kayla Vanegas shared her sentiments about the event. “As my first year here in THHS, I am sure that this sense of community that we share is something truly special, and it’s something that was strengthened even more with watching the eclipse.”
Senior Katherine Lian said, “Watching the eclipse really gave me one of the most memorable experiences in my final year here.”
“Truthfully, I wasn’t sure if people were going to get excited and go outside or just go home, but there were so many people outside, and it was really awesome. It’s just this tiny little thing. But this tiny little thing affects our whole life,” said Ms. Fee.
