At the International School of Aruba, students have been getting ready for the total solar eclipse for weeks. Doorways in the school are decorated with eclipse art. A space fair was held today with students making space ships from cereal boxes, straws, jars and other stuff from home.

    Jonathan Legro and Valentijn Vd.Sloot built an eclipse viewing spaceship with the control center made from solar eclipse glasses so you can watch the eclipse without putting on your glasses. But they both know they will have to wear their glasses when the whole school leaves classes to go outside to watch the eclipse.

    Their school is set on the spot with the longest amount of totality on Aruba. They will see the Moon in front of the Sun for 3 minutes and 45 seconds.

    The school is located in a part of Aruba named Seroe Colorado at the southern end of the island. Right behind the school is a large oil refinery (they make gasoline for cars!) owned by a company called Coastal. When the school first opened, the refinery was owned by Esso (now named Exxon) and they started the school for the children of their workers. Now the school is independent (on its own).

    People have been giving the school eclipse glasses so the children will all be able to go outside and watch the eclipse. They have been taught to only glance at the sun, not to stare at it, even with the glasses on. Once the Moon completely covers the Sun, they will take the glasses off and look at the total solar eclipse.

    Most of the other schools on the island are closing in the afternoon for the eclipse. All the banks and a lot of stores are closing to let their workers go out and watch the total solar eclipse. Researchers on the island, including Professor Jay Pasachoff, have visited schools to tell the students what will happen during the total solar eclipse. Professor Pasachoff told them not to be afraid of the eclipse, to wear their special glasses for the partial phases, and then to take the glasses off during the total phase and to enjoy the experience. There were some wild questions like "Will the eclipse make a tidal wave?" The total solar eclipse will not do that, it is no different from any other tide during the new Moon phase.

    Email the students of the International School of Aruba through our site. Their teacher, Paul Napier, is waiting to pass the messages to the right age group student. They promise to respond to you!