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| Christa McAuliffe Center for Education | |
|---|---|
| Name | Christa McAuliffe Center for Education |
| Established | 1980s |
| Type | Educational center |
| Location | Concord, New Hampshire |
Christa McAuliffe Center for Education is a regional educational institution named for Christa McAuliffe, the New Hampshire teacher who was selected as a NASA Teacher in Space participant and perished in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. The center operates as a public outreach and professional development hub linked to local school districts, state agencies, and national organizations such as NASA, National Science Foundation, and Smithsonian Institution. It serves students, teachers, and community members with programs that intersect with science, technology, and history associated with Concord and New Hampshire heritage.
The founding reflects post-Space Shuttle Challenger disaster commemoration initiatives and local civic responses involving the New Hampshire General Court, civic leaders, and educators influenced by McAuliffe's selection for the Teacher in Space Project. Early collaborators included representatives from Concord, New Hampshire, regional school districts, and state cultural institutions like the New Hampshire Historical Society and Pease Air National Guard Base personnel. Over decades the center has adapted alongside federal initiatives such as programs from NASA, curriculum reforms influenced by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and partnerships with universities including University of New Hampshire and Colby-Sawyer College.
The mission emphasizes tribute to Christa McAuliffe while advancing teacher professional development and student STEM engagement consistent with priorities from NASA, the National Science Teachers Association, and the American Association of School Administrators. Core programs include professional development workshops modeled on standards from the National Science Foundation and curriculum modules drawing on resources from the Smithsonian Institution and the Library of Congress. The center hosts seminars connecting classroom practice with state standards promulgated by the New Hampshire Department of Education and networks such as the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
The facility occupies a campus parcel near downtown Concord, New Hampshire with spaces configured for seminars, exhibits, and hands-on activities. Physical features include an auditorium suitable for presentations by visiting scholars from institutions like Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Dartmouth College; laboratory areas equipped for inquiry aligned with kits from Lawrence Hall of Science; and gallery spaces that have displayed artifacts loaned from organizations such as the National Air and Space Museum, the New England Aquarium, and the American Museum of Natural History.
Outreach partnerships extend to K–12 schools across Merrimack County, collaborations with higher education institutions including University of New Hampshire, Plymouth State University, and Keene State College, and joint programming with national entities like NASA and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The center has coordinated teacher residencies and student field trips with regional museums such as the Currier Museum of Art and science centers like the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center. Grant-funded initiatives have involved agencies including the National Science Foundation and nonprofit funders like the Ford Foundation.
The center convenes annual commemorations related to Space Shuttle Challenger disaster remembrance and public lectures featuring speakers from NASA, academic scholars from Dartmouth College and Harvard University, and authors affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution Press. Community events have included family science nights with exhibits from the New England Aquarium and cultural programs partnered with the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts and the New Hampshire Symphony Orchestra. Public forums have addressed regional educational policy issues often involving representatives from the New Hampshire Board of Education and municipal leaders from Concord, New Hampshire.
Exhibits have showcased artifacts and interpretive displays relating to Christa McAuliffe’s career, replica materials tied to the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, and rotating science displays contributed by institutions such as the National Air and Space Museum, the Smithsonian Institution, and the American Institute of Physics. Collections have included educational resource kits aligned with materials from the Lawrence Hall of Science and archival holdings cooperative with the New Hampshire Historical Society and university archives at University of New Hampshire.
Administration is typically overseen by a board composed of educators, civic leaders, and representatives from agencies like the New Hampshire Department of Education and municipal government of Concord, New Hampshire. Funding streams have combined state appropriations, private philanthropy from foundations such as the Ford Foundation and community trusts, competitive grants from the National Science Foundation, and event revenues. Collaborative grantmaking and in-kind contributions have involved national partners including NASA and regional higher education institutions such as Dartmouth College and University of New Hampshire.
Category:Education in New Hampshire Category:Museums in Concord, New Hampshire