FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Grayson Kamm, Catalyst Communications Group
grayson@catalystcommunicationsgroup.com
During Eclipse, Students Can Safely Look at the Sun with Assist from Tampa Bay Sun FC Women’s Soccer Team
“When your team name is the Sun, you can’t sit on the sidelines!”
TAMPA, FL (April 3, 2024) – With a team name and an historic event that are a perfect match, Tampa Bay Sun FC—the area’s new professional women’s soccer team—is donating more than 4,000 pairs of solar eclipse glasses to afterschool programs at Hillsborough County Public Schools. Using the special glasses, students and counselors will be able to safely experience Monday’s awe-inspiring Total Solar Eclipse.
PHOTO AND VIDEO OPPORTUNITY:
WHAT: Representatives from Tampa Bay Sun FC will experience Monday’s eclipse with students at Rampello Downtown Partnership School
WHERE: 802 E. Washington Street in Downtown Tampa
WHEN: Media are welcome to capture students’ reactions on Monday, April 8, between 2:00 and 3:30 p.m.
NOTE: (PLAN TO ARRIVE BY 2:30 TO CAPTURE THE PEAK OF THE ECLIPSE)
“When your team name is the Sun, you can’t sit on the sidelines during the biggest event involving the Sun for the next 21 years!” said Tampa Bay Sun FC President Christina Unkel. “This is a once-in-a-generation chance for students to be inspired and explore the possibilities of a career in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. We’re excited to help thousands of students experience this moment.”
STEM learning will stretch into the afterschool hours, with the eclipse reaching its peak at 3:00 p.m. in Tampa—after the final bell for most schools in Hillsborough County.
Students and afterschool staff at more than 40 schools will receive the glasses, along with cards that include safety information and facts about the eclipse. The glasses are being delivered to all the school district’s elementary and K-8 schools within five miles of the riverfront stadium at Blake High School, where the Sun will kick off their inaugural season this August.
“This is truly a special science opportunity for students—the next Total Solar Eclipse that will block out this much of the Sun in Tampa Bay won’t occur until 2045,” said Colleen Faucett, Chief Academic Officer for Hillsborough County Public Schools. “Community partnerships like this are crucial for making sure our students have every opportunity to succeed in school and in their future careers.”
About Tampa Bay Sun FC
Tampa Bay Sun FC is the first professional women’s soccer team set to kick off in Tampa, Florida in August 2024. The Sun will light up the pitch, playing their home games in a stunning newly-renovated riverfront stadium situated along Hillsborough River in Downtown Tampa. Joining the USL Super League's historic inaugural season, the Tampa Bay Sun FC is one of eight initial markets paving the way for a national expansion of first-division professional women's soccer. With a shared vision to become a global leader in the sport, both on and off the field, paving the way for increased opportunities for talented female athletes across the country, and fostering growth and empowerment within local communities. For more information, please visit TampaBaySunFC.com
###