On April 8, students, faculty, and staff gathered outside to watch as the moon passed in front of the sun. We weren’t in the total eclipse zone, but we were close enough to watch the moon hide 78% of the sun, the first eclipse of its kind since 2017. At around 3:20 p.m., through special eclipse glasses that the school provided, Potomac students watched this celestial wonder on the turf field, Gum Tree, the Quad, and other areas on campus.

The next total solar eclipse to be visible in North America will occur on–save the date–August 23, 2044, when we students will be in our mid-to-late 30s.  

Students enjoyed spending time together outside while gazing at the eclipse. Maddy Dolan ’27 said that “It was awesome” and that she “had a great time spending it with all my classmates.” Ms. Alexa Twibell, Teaching Fellow in the math department said “It’s a great opportunity for all of us to come and sit out on the lawn and enjoy being outside, and learn about this cool natural phenomenon and enjoy time as a community. There are more people out here sitting, talking, and looking than I expected. So that’s been just as cool as the eclipse itself.”