Challenger Learning Center in Tallahassee Approved

By COE eNews
Fall 1996

September, 1996

Washington, D.C. - Vance R. Ablott, president and chief executive officer of Challenger Center for Space Science Education, announced approval for a new Challenger Learning Center to be constructed in Tallahassee Florida. "This location will be our third Learning Center site in Florida, joining facilities now operating in Tampa and Jacksonville", said Ablott. "It has the potential to bring state-of-the-art education to literally thousands of Florida students in the Big Bend area and put them on the fast-track in math and science."

Tallahassee is one of several new sites that will join the network. The others are Hazard, KY, Tucson AZ and Leicester, England. There are 29 Challenger Learning Centers in operation throughout North America. Four, including Jacksonville, FL being dedicated on September 26, have come on-line this year. Over two dozen more are in funding or construction stages.

The Tallahassee Center will be built as part of the $17 million Phase III construction of the joint College of Engineering of Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University and Florida State University. Retired astronaut Norman E. Thagard, MD, who now serves as Director of College Relations, originated the idea in cooperation with Dr. Ching-Jen Chen, Dean of the College. The Leon County Board of Commissioners has allocated $75,000 in seed money to begin the project, which is scheduled for completion in the Fall of 1999. The project has also been endorsed by Pres. Humphries of FAMU, Pres. D'Alemberte of FSU, State Universities Chancellor Reed, Dept. of Education Commissioner Brogan, the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, and the Leon County School Board.

The Challenger Centers were founded in 1986 by the families of the Challenger 51-L space shuttle crew. It is dedicated to continuing the education mission by fostering increased student interest in math, science and technology, and pursuing careers in these fields.

Using the excitement of space themes in computerized, interactive, multimedia learning simulations, Challenger Learning Centers are helping to change the way teachers teach and students learn. Students prepare, often for weeks, in the classroom, then report to a Learning Center for a space "flight" that may take them on a return trip to the Moon, a voyage to Mars, a visit to a comet, or an orbital mission to Earth's environment. When they enter Mission Control or step through the airlock to the space lab, they become a crew of explorers and scientists on their way to touching the future. Education becomes an adventure as they learn critical thinking, teamwork, problem-solving and communication.

Challenger Center for Space Science Education is a not-for-profit organization headquartered in metropolitan Washington D. C. Each Challenger Learning Center is a community project, locally funded and managed. Challenger Center develops advanced learning scenarios and programs for students and educators in cooperation with its International faculty of advisors. The public is invited to contact Challenger Center at 1-800-98-STARS for information, or to access their web site at http://www.challengertlh.com.