It’s been 36 years since the Challenger tragedy, and thanks to a collaboration between the National Challenger Center and Unity in Learning, southeast Michigan kids can commemorate the lives lost and learn about space exploration at Michigan’s only Challenger Learning Center.
This center, which is set to open to the public on April 30, 2022, at St. Clair County Community College (SC4) in Port Huron, is one in a network of 40 nationwide Challenger Learning Centers that opened after the 1986 tragedy.
They offer kids a fully-immersive, space-themed STEM experience that aims to help them explore STEM careers and topics and teach them critical 21st century skills.
“We are so excited to open the doors to this new Challenger Learning Center and welcome the southeast Michigan community to see all that it has to offer,” Lance Bush, the president and CEO of Challenger Center, said in a press release. “SC4 shares our vision and commitment to inspire the next generation. We’re proud to help play a part in that commitment with the addition of the Challenger Learning Center at SC4.”
The public launch of the Michigan center offers two sessions between 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. that take place throughout Experience Center at the Clara E. Mackenzie building and will feature a tour of the new center, a meet-and-greet with a NASA astronaut, live animal encounters, science experiments and much more.
The event is free to the public, but advance online registration is required.
Unity in Learning is a partnership between the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, the Leslie Science & Nature Center, the Yankee Air Museum and the Challenger Learning Center at SC4 that works to connect kids with hands-on discovery, experiences and exploration. Learn more about this partnership at unityinlearning.org.
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