Children were part of the UD community on total eclipse day

Pictured is the eclipse in totality over KU Field. Photo courtesy of Zach Merz for his Instagram @merzphotos.

Caitlyn Russell | Contributing Writer

People around the world gathered outside to sit in wonder of the total solar eclipse, the rare celestial event that happened Monday afternoon.

The University of Dayton offered a special day for students, faculty and staff to come together in community on the Central Mall and celebrate with food, games, music and more. Classes were canceled for three hours to allow students to see the eclipse and faculty to bring their children to campus.

Will, who is in first grade, told of the craft he created for the eclipse. He had drawn the sun and moon on two pieces of paper. His mother then related how her son’s teacher merged the pictures to show how the moon will revolve around the sun, so Will could comprehend how the eclipse works.

Will’s sister, Lily, who is in third grade, was equally as excited as she awaited the eclipse. She said her class did not do any projects for the eclipse, but she wasn’t upset about it. She was just  as excited there was no school. Both attend Mariemont Elementary outside Cincinnati.

Meanwhile, 15-year-old Xander was setting up a camera to film the celestial occurrence. He explained that his setup was not for a school project. He said he was interested in photography and wanted to create a movie capturing the eclipse’s stages. 

His 13-year-old brother, Caleb, who was helping, mentioned that he needed to also photograph the eclipse and wanted to use his sibling’s camera for the task. Both were alive to see the eclipse in 2017, but did not have much memory of it because both were very young. 

Their parents asked that the school the brothers attend not be identified for this report.

Elly, who attends kindergarten at Kemp Elementary, was also on the Central Mall with her mother. 

She said her teacher threw a party in honor of the eclipse. Elly’s mother added some details about the party, saying the teacher decorated the room in a moon-and-sun theme and gave the students eclipse themed snacks.

Elly also said her teacher had them do some arts and crafts while they watched a video about the eclipse. The craft, similar to Will’s, involved items shaped like a sun and moon that moved in line with the eclipse’s rotation.

For more coverage of the eclipse at UD check out more stories on our Campus page here!