BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — A Boynton Beach middle school is honoring an astronaut who lost her life 40 years ago in the Challenger space shuttle explosion.
Christa McAuliffe Middle School in Boynton Beach held assemblies for students featuring an FAU astronomer and former NASA staff member who helped with the Apollo missions. Their goal is to continue the story of McAuliffe and the passion she had to bring space exploration back into the classroom.
Christa McAuliffe was a school teacher in New Hampshire and was selected as the first civilian teacher to fly in space as part of NASA's space shuttle program. The Boynton Beach school opened the same year as the explosion, and the community chose to name the campus in her honor.
State
NASA marks 40th anniversary of Challenger tragedy
Staff and students listened to scientists about the importance of space exploration during the special assemblies.
"Her dream was to bring space back into classroom when she returned to make learning exciting and real and to show students that curiosity has no limits," said Ronnie Grayson, principal of Christa McAuliffe Middle School.
The middle school also welcomed back some of its first teachers for a banquet reunion.
