Christa McAuliffe

Christa’s McAuliffe’s motto was, "I touch the future, I teach." In 1986 she captured the nation’s attention and admiration! Sadly, her life was cut short in a tragic accident.     Sharon Christa Corrigan was born on September 2, 1948 in Boston, Massachusetts. She graduated from Marian High School in 1966. In 1970 she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Framingham State College in 1970. She married Steve McAuliffe that same year.

Christa had two children, Scott and Caroline. She was a Girl Scout leader, a jogger, and a history teacher. It was Christa’s love of teaching that led her to be selected to be the first teacher in space. On July 19, 1985 she was selected by NASA to be part of the NASA Teacher in Space Project. Christa McAuliffe was a Payload Specialist on STS 51-L which was launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, at 11: 38:00 EST on January 28, 1986. She was to travel on board the space shuttle and taught two lessons from space.

She took a year off from teaching to train for the mission. The press and public fell in love with her and the world watched as she took off on the morning of January 28. The crew on board the Orbiter Challenger included the spacecraft commander, Mr. F.R Scobee the pilot, Commander M.J. Smith (USN), 3 mission specialists, Dr. R.E. McNair, Lieutenant Colonel E.S. Onizuka (USAF), and Dr. J.A. Resnik, and fellow civilian payload specialist, Mr. G.B. Jarvis.

On live television the shuttle exploded shortly after take off, killing all on board instantly. After her death Christa was awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.

by Joey, fourth grade, 2006