In a heartwarming display of creativity and care, Lori Burrough, a K3 preschool teacher, has captured the hearts of millions with her ingenious idea to protect her students during Atlanta's partial solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.

Concerned about her young students' safety during the rare celestial event, Lori devised a simple yet effective solution: she pasted pictures of each child's face onto paper plates and carefully inserted solar eclipse glasses through the plates. The result? An adorable and hilarious sight as the children peered out with their personalized eclipse viewers.

Little did Lori know that her innovative approach would capture the attention of the internet. A short clip showcasing her homemade eclipse glasses quickly went viral on Instagram, amassing over 1.4 million views. Comments flooded in, with users expressing delight at the charming solution and admiration for Lori's commitment to her class.

Lori humbly expressed, "I cannot take sole credit for the idea of using the paper plates with the solar eclipse glasses. That is the great thing about GAC's K3 team! We all work together each day and have different strengths, gifts, and ideas. Mrs. Wood devised the paper plate idea and solar eclipse glasses with her students during the 2017 solar eclipse. She shared the pattern with all the K3 teachers. I thought it was an excellent way for our students to experience the solar eclipse safely. It will be another 20 years before they have the opportunity to do it again!"

"Mrs. Tidwell is gifted with making everything we do and create in K3 look beautiful. She has used Modge Podge with some of her amazing creations. I have so many pictures of my students that I thought I could print out pictures of my students' faces and Modge Podge them onto the plates before I cut out the slots for the glasses, eyes, nose, and mouth. I tied a string to the frames of the glasses so they would stay on, and they were ready to go! I was lucky that they lined up with their real faces so well," Lori said.

"I did not do anything different from what each teacher at GAC does every day! It is crazy how the video took off!"

As the video continues to circulate, Lori's ingenuity inspires educators and parents alike, reminding us all of how challenges can produce creativity and ingenuity. 

View the viral video on Instagram by clicking here here. 

No social media account? View the video on YouTube by clicking here.