As a leader in experiential STEM education, Challenger Center and its network of Challenger Learning Centers bring science, math, technology, engineering, and exploration to life in ways that inspire students to imagine new possibilities for their future. Challenger Learning Center at Montco Pottstown is part of a global network that engages hundreds of thousands of students each year. Following the Challenger STS-51L tragedy, the crew’s families established Challenger Center in 1986 to honor their loved ones and carry forward their education mission. Now celebrating its 40th anniversary, Challenger Center continues to inspire students and launch the next generation of explorers and innovators. Learn more at www.challenger.org.
Located at Montco's Pottstown Campus, an academic and community hub for students and residents of Montgomery County, the Center is the first of its kind in the state of Pennsylvania. Focused on inspiring and engaging students in grades 5-8, the Center serves as a regional hub of innovative science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning experiences where students of all backgrounds embark on simulated space missions in a fully immersive Spacecraft, Space Station, and Mission Control, working together to run hands-on experiments and solve tough problems. Every student has a role to play, building confidence in their own abilities and demonstrating the power of teamwork. Challenger Center missions create “jobs” for students to spark ongoing STEM engagement, college STEM degree exploration, pathways to STEM internships, apprenticeships and careers, and workforce development.
The Challenger STS-51L Crew (top row left to right) Ellison S. Onizuka, Sharon Christa
Corrigan McAuliffe, Gregory B. Jarvis, Judith A. Resnik, (bottom row left to right)
Michael J. Smith, Francis R. "Dick" Scobee, Ronald E. McNair