PA high school teacher to host eclipse safety workshop and viewing party on DI

For the first time in 99 years, a total solar eclipse will venture across the United States from Oregon to South Carolina.

The “Great American Eclipse,” as it has been deemed, will hit a major milestone in Charleston, as explained by Pennsylvania resident Deborah Skapik, a high school science teacher with an extensive background in astronomy.

“This is where it leaves land so we will be the last ones to see this,” said Skapik, whose father, Charles Maraziti, is a Daniel Island resident. “So that’s pretty cool and it offers us a little unique perspective, I think, with sort of closing it out.”

Because of this, as well as her connection to Daniel Island through her father, her knowledge of astronomy and her love for teaching, Skapik believes the island is a natural choice for her and her students to host an eclipse workshop and viewing party.

“I feel a sort of responsibility about getting as many people excited and involved in this as possible,” said Skapik. “When an eclipse comes over a major city as opposed to a small town, that’s a really big deal. So it was the ideal place for us to go.”

Skapik, a teacher at Friends’ Central School outside of Philadelphia, and her students will be holding a free workshop on Saturday, Aug. 19, at Holy Cross Church on Daniel Island from 3:30 to 5 p.m. that will teach attendees how to safely view the eclipse by making and using their very own pin-hole projector. All are welcome. Everyone who attends is asked to bring an extra cereal box with them.

According to Skapik, her students, who range from 9th to 12th grade, will be conducting the workshop.

“We have a little bit of historical background on eclipses. We will have some telescopes, weather permitting, to look at the sun pre-eclipse, so that people can see how to safely look at the sun. And we’ll also show, especially kids, how to make safe pin-hole projectors using cereal boxes.…With these projectors, they will actually turn their backs to the sun, so it’s completely safe.”

The group will also be leading an Eclipse Viewing Party at Smythe Park on Monday, Aug. 21 starting at approximately 1 p.m. The actual eclipse is scheduled for around 1:25 p.m., explained Skapik.

“People are welcome to come by,” she said. “We will be handing out eclipse glasses for people to look at the partial phases at the workshop and will probably still have some for the day of the eclipse.”

Skapik’s interest in space comes at no surprise, as she graduated from the University of Hawaii with a master’s degree in observational astronomy. It was not until she was working under the well-known eclipse chaser, Jay Pasachoff, that her passion for eclipses really emerged.

“[Jay] was my supervisor there, as I was the observatory supervisor and he was my boss,” said Skapik. “I got fascinated with eclipses then because he chases them worldwide, all the time. I helped him pack up an expedition to go to Chile and another one to India. He follows the eclipses all over the world, so that’s kind of what got me started. But I’ve always, as an astronomer, had a background for this.”

One goal that Skapik hopes is reached by holding these events is for the eclipse to be remembered in a positive way.

“I have students that I teach, I also teach at a college, that have said to me, they remember being in the Caribbean for the eclipse from 1998,” said Skapik. “They were children at the time and they explained that they remember their mom hiding them in a room because they didn’t want the student to go outside. She was afraid. I don’t want people to be afraid. I want people to remember the good part about this and that it’s really a neat experience that people should take advantage of.”

Skapik’s eclipse events on Daniel Island will be first-come, first-served with limited seating. If there is an overwhelming turn out on Saturday, Skapik said she and her students may offer a second workshop on Sunday, pending location. Anyone who would like more information about her upcoming programs can email her at celestinecat226@gmail.com.