People all over the Ozarks took a moment to step outside to view the solar event of the century, including students in Willard. They got the chance to safely look at the eclipse, and the district didn't have to spend a dime for more than 3,200 of those special eclipse glasses. A local eye doctor pitched in to help.

While some people have been frantically searching for eclipse glasses over the last couple of weeks, Willard's only eye doctor ordered glasses for K through 8th grade students in April. They arrived in June and are certified through the Missouri Optometric Association.

Dr. Devon Jarvis started his Monday like any other, taking care of patients' eyes. But he's been looking forward to this day for months. "The science nerd in me is excited about it," Jarvis says.

He admits, the safest way to view an eclipse is to not look directly at it.

"Either to look at it on TV, stream it online, make the shadow boxes," Jarvis says.

But he didn't want kids in the community to miss the rare opportunity. So he purchased more than 3,200 pairs of eclipse glasses for Willard kids, Kindergarten through 8th grade.

Willard Schools Superintendent Dr. Matt Teeter says, "We have a lot of other costs and expenses, and for Dr. Jarvis to be so kind with his donation to help us experience a once in a lifetime opportunity is excellent."

7th and 8th graders filed into the football stadium equipped with their glasses and plenty of excitement. "I was really excited. Like, I'd seen pictures of it, and I was just ready for it to happen," says 8th grader Rory O'Connor.

"It's pretty cool; it was really hard not to look at it without my glasses," says Alex Crawford, an 8th grade student.

The temperature dropped and students noticed a darker sky. "I thought it was going to get a little bit darker, but it was still cool, because it's like that weird dim," O'Connor says.

The historic eclipse came and went, and Dr. Jarvis hopes without harm to any eyes. "We love seeing people here. We don't want to see a bunch of people tomorrow that viewed it incorrectly and come in because they've damaged their eyes," Jarvis says. "I'll definitely remember it," O'Connor says.

Dr. Jarvis viewed the eclipse from the Willard football stadium too, where middle school students gave him rounds of applause.

Willard High School purchased eclipse glasses for grades 9 through 12.