Through a child's eyes: Southeast Missouri schoolchildren offer their perceptions after witnessing Monday’s total solar eclipse

Students from around the area were able to experience the total solar eclipse Monday. Some, such as the fourth-grade class of Rhonda Young at Alma Schrader School, watched with their classmates at school.

Others, such as the third-grade class of Amanda Ruhmann at Trinity Lutheran School, watched at Southeast Missouri State University, which hosted 17 school districts.

The following are a few students' thoughts on questions we presented.

ALMA SCHRADER SCHOOL

Rhonda Young's fourth-grade class

Alma Schrader School students watch the eclipse outside the school Monday.Submitted by Rhonda Young

Were you afraid at all before or during the eclipse?

"Yes. I was afraid because I was afraid that I was going to burn my eyes."

-- Bruce Miller

"I was not afraid at all because I knew I was safe wearing the eclipse glasses."

-- William Miller

Alma Schrader students watch the eclipse outside the school Monday.Submitted by Rhonda Young

"Yes, before the eclipse because I thought something would go wrong and I'd go blind."

-- Brenna Dunavan

"I wasn't afraid until the totality happened because the totality looked like a giant eyeball. It was magnificent and a little scary at the same time."

-- Vivian Nordin

"I was not. In fact, I was amazed because of the beautiful sun getting covered by the moon."

Students play a game of "Don't Drop the Asteroid" during the solar eclipse Monday, Aug. 21, 2017 at Houck Field in Cape Girardeau.Fred Lynch

-- Andrew Lowes

"I was scared that the glasses would fail, but they didn't."

-- Alana Mann

"I was not afraid because every single teacher was outside so I felt safe."

-- Jackson Seabaugh

What kind of emotions did you have?

"I felt proud and grateful during the eclipse because it was the first time in about a century and I was able to witness it."

-- Brenna Dunavan

"I was excited and flipping out because the sight was the best thing I have ever seen."

-- Seth Ferguson

"I was thankful because this was my first time watching, it and if it rained or it was cloudy, we would not be able to see it."

-- Sankriti Srikant

What did you expect it to be like? Did it go as expected?

"My expectations were pretty high. It did not go as expected because totality was way cooler than I thought."

-- Bruce Miller

"I thought it was going to go all black but it didn't. It was black with a white ring."

-- Jathan Spain

"I expected it to be close to pitch black when it hit totality and it was not pitch black at all. I could even see the craters on the moon, and I was not expecting that."

-- Brenna Dunavan

"No. I expected it to be really quick, but it was slow and fascinating because the crickets and cicadas were peculiar."

-- Grant Skelton

"I expected it to be no big deal, but it was. It did not go as expected."

-- Seth Ferguson

"I expected it to be pitch-black, but I could still see."

-- Max H.

"I expected it to be boring, but it was exciting."

-- Caden Coher

"It didn't go as expected because I thought it would be a pretty orange, but it was a pretty white."

-- Max Pardon

"I expected it to be great, and it was."

-- Ava Rhymer

"I expected it to be quick and not cool. But it turned out to be so cool! So, yeah, it didn't go as expected, and I'm glad it didn't."

-- Eliza Criblez

How would you describe the level of darkness?

"I would say that it was like dark or at 6:30 p.m. because all the street lights were on, and I heard cicadas and crickets."

-- William Miller

"It was like wearing sunglasses on a cloudy day with a white ball in the sky."

-- Jathan Spain

"It felt like nighttime because it was dark, and the crickets were making noise."

-- Seth Ferguson

"It was like nighttime, and I almost fell asleep, but I'm glad I didn't."

-- Sankriti Srikant

"It was like 8 p.m. because it was dim."

-- Andrew Lowes

"It was like 4 o'clock in the morning. I know this because I don't sleep good."

-- Hunter Jones

What will you remember the most about the eclipse?

"I will remember the most that I was there with my family and friends and it was the most spectacular, awesome, magnificent thing of all."

-- Vivian Nordin

"I will remember when the full eclipse was happening. It was crazy, and it was dark and everything like they said."

-- Seth Ferguson

"How the moon blocks the sun and the day turns night and the really cool glasses."

-- Sankriti Srikant

"The beautiful outline of the sun."

-- Andrew Lowes

"When I saw the corona, because it looked like the sun had a mohawk."

-- Caden Coher

"I will remember the diamond ring because it was the most beautiful part."

-- Max Pardon

"I will never forget totality. It was beautiful because of the border of the sun."

-- Hunter Jones

"What I will remember the most is that it was a big experience for all of us."

-- Ashley Wallace

Trinity Lutheran SCHOOL

Amanda Ruhmann's third-grade class

Were you afraid at all before or during the eclipse?

(Ruhmann reported most of her students were afraid of not following the rules.)

"I was afraid I might accidentally forget to put on my glasses and become blind."

-- Hunter Tiehes and Noah Potter

What kind of emotions did you have?

"I was excited and scared at the same time."

-- Hunter Tiehes

"I was anxious."

-- Adalyn Brandhorst

What did you expect it to be like? Did it go as expected?

"It actually got dark."

-- Layne Hopkins

"I thought it would be darker."

-- Lauren Hillin, Hunter Tiehes and Bryce Gaebler

"I didn't hear the crickets that they said we would hear."

-- Adalyn Brandhorst

How would you describe the level of darkness?

"It was kind of like wearing sunglasses."

-- Layne Hopkins

Explain what an eclipse is:

"When the moon goes in front of the sun and makes a shadow."

-- Lauren Hillin

What will you remember the most about the eclipse?

"It was HOT!"

-- Entire class