On April 8th, 2024, Briar Woods students witnessed the first total solar eclipse in seven years, a phenomenon the U.S. will not see again for another 21 years.  Although Ashburn was not in the direct path, only experiencing about 88% totality, students eagerly stepped outside during classes to observe the event. Throughout the school grounds, large gatherings of students could be seen gazing skyward, from the parking lot to the back field.

“It’s pretty cool that I get to live to see it,” says Jana Yi, a 9th grader at Briar Woods. “With all my friends too” she adds.

A few days prior, LCPS provided free eclipse glasses  for all students and teachers, emphasizing the importance of eclipse safety.

“Our teacher told us to take our safety very seriously, like not looking at the sun without the glasses,” Maria Torres, a freshman, explained.

The eclipse began its gradual progression around mid-afternoon, with some classes venturing out to observe as early as 2 p.m. Most of the school was permitted outside during 4th block, around 3:00pm, with maximum darkness occurring around 3:25 p.m. There was a noticeable darkening of the sky for around five minutes, akin to late-afternoon conditions, although no drastic change was observed.

“It was definitely cool, seeing the moon slowly cover the sun, but it wasn’t as cool as I thought. Sort of just looked cloudy,” comments Nikita Oruganti, a freshman.

Though the area was not engulfed in total darkness as some had hoped, the day still served as a memorable experience for all.