2024 Eclipse: Kemp High School students to take part in cross-country research project

Kemp HS students taking part in eclipse study

Students and teachers from Kemp High School in Kaufman County will play a key role in research for this April's total solar eclipse.

KEMP, Texas - Students and teachers from Kemp High School in Kaufman County will play a key role in research for the total solar eclipse in April.

The five students from Kemp are part of the 2024 Citizen Continental-America Telescope Eclipse project.

35 telescopes will be set up along the eclipse path from Texas to Maine to capture totality images. NASA describes it as an eclipse relay race for science.

The team applied for the opportunity back in November and were chosen to take part.

"This is a chance for these kids to really get to do science," said Kyle Rimler, the head of the science department for Kemp High School.

The project is funded by NASA and the U.S. National Science Foundation, where the team goes through intensive training at the Frontier Flight Museum in Dallas to learn to track the sun.

"We're going to be in a documentary. So we're taking video for a documentary of everything we're doing," Rimler added.

The students will put together the computer-controlled telescope to capture the images.

"I've always loved astronomy," said junior Katy Kizer. "The research is really cool, but so is being with everyone here."

Kemp High School will be able to keep the donated telescope.

The school is making the day a campus-wide celebration. They are calling it the Solar Bowl.

There will be a flag football game and performances from the band, drill team and cheer squad.

"Everyday it gets bigger and bigger, and I'm hoping that Kemp really gets excited about it," said Rimler.