ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Challenger Center for Space Science Education (Challenger Center) announced today the recipients of its 2011 Teacher of the Year awards. Four elementary and middle school teachers were named as recipients, which recognizes educators who exemplify the spirit of Challenger Center’s education mission and share a commitment to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning.

Challenger Center congratulates its Teacher of the Year recipients:

* Dr. Laura Crane, science teacher at Academy for the Advancement of Science & Technology, in Hackensack, NJ

* Frannie Kruse, 4th – 6th and 8th grade science and Bible teacher at Colorado Springs Christian School, in Colorado Springs, CO

* Josh Oberts, 5th grade teacher at Oakland Elementary School in Bloomington, IL

* Jim Sauer, elementary teacher at Magdalena Middle/High School in Magdalena, NM The recipients were nominated by one of the 48 Challenger Learning Centers located across the United States, Canada, Korea and England, based on their strong relationship with their local Learning Center’s educational mission and their impact on student learning and the STEM education community.

The Teacher of the Year award recognition includes the presentation of a historical, limited-edition Apollo 8 medallion produced by NASA. The medallions contain small amounts of pure aluminum carried into space by Apollo astronaut Frank Borman and were struck in honor of Apollo 8, the historic mission that culminated in man’s first orbit of the moon.

The Teacher of the Year medallions are special gifts from the late Mr. Turner N. Wiley, a supporter of Challenger Center and former Chief of NASA’s Communication Branch for Engineering at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. His gift is used to honor teachers who perform exemplary work in science education and to reward educators who are working in both classrooms and Challenger Learning Centers to cultivate the next generation of space science explorers.

June Scobee Rodgers, the founding Chairman of Challenger Center for Space Science Education and widow of Challenger commander Dick Scobee, said: “These four gifted teachers come from diverse geographic regions, teach different grade levels, and work with students of varying abilities. What links them together is a genuine desire to ignite their students’ curiosities about the universe that surrounds them, as well as to convince them that their futures literally have no boundaries. All of us at Challenger Center are grateful that each of these teachers have found our Challenger Learning Center programs to be a fundamental component of their STEM curriculum.”

About Challenger Center for Space Science Education

Using space exploration as a theme and simulations as a vehicle, Challenger Center for Space Science Education and its international network of 48 Challenger Learning Centers create positive educational experiences that raise students’ expectations of success, fosters a long-term interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and inspires students to pursue studies and careers in these areas. Challenger Center’s network of Challenger Learning Centers across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and South Korea reach more than 400,000 students each year through simulated space missions and educational programs, and engage over 40,000 educators through missions, teacher workshops and other programs. To learn more about Challenger Center for Space Science Education, visit www.challenger.org.

Challenger Center for Space Science Education was created to honor the seven astronauts of shuttle flight STS-51-L: Commander Dick Scobee, Gregory Jarvis, Christa McAuliffe, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, and Michael J. Smith.

Challenger Center for Space Science Education
Steve Kussmann
300 N. Lee St., Suite 301
Alexandria, VA 22314
info@challenger.org
+1.703-683-9740