Boeing helps Challenger Center Soar to New Heights
New grant awarded for teacher professional development
Boeing has awarded Challenger Center for Space Science Education a $100,000 grant for teacher professional development throughout its worldwide network of Challenger Learning Centers.
The grant, led by the Challenger Learning Center- St. Louis, will fund The Boeing FLIER (Future Leaders In Education Resources) Program, a training and mentorship program to help Learning Center staff improve the network’s professional development offerings for teachers. St. Louis was chosen to lead the project based on its success with similar grants for professional development from Boeing’s Defense, Space & Security Headquarters in St. Louis.
“We are honored to have been chosen to lead this international effort to advance teacher professional development throughout the network. Already, Boeing St. Louis had provided funds specifically for our region’s school teachers. The grant will allow us to expand our successful St. Louis program to the nearly 50 Learning Centers throughout the world,” said Tasmyn Scarl Front, Director of Challenger Center-St. Louis.
“Boeing has been a long-standing supporter of the Challenger Learning Center in St. Louis and its mission of inspiring teachers and students in the areas of science, technology, learning and math,” said George Roman, Boeing vice president of State and Local Government Operations and St. Louis regional executive. The opportunity to contribute to the success of the center and expansion of teacher development programs worldwide is exciting and is indicative of Boeing’s commitment to education and developing the leaders of tomorrow.”
The Boeing FLIER Program is intended to span three years, with year one dedicated to planning, developing and piloting the program with two Challenger Learning Centers located near Boeing facilities–one in Seattle, WA and the other located in St. Louis, MO. In years two and three, the program will be expanded to include up to 30 Learning Centers, including the Challenger Learning Center in Leicester , UK .
“We are proud of our partnership with the Challenger Learning Centers because they are providing teachers with the skills and knowledge they need to help students understand the relevance of what they are learning in the classroom so they will be inspired to become the problem solvers, inventors and innovators of tomorrow,” said Anne Roosevelt, vice president, Boeing Global Corporate Citizenship.
Challenger Learning Centers throughout the United States and the United Kingdom will benefit from the Boeing FLIER Program that will ultimately serve more than 1,600 Kindergarten through 12 th grade teachers. The program is geared toward helping teachers improve their knowledge of and confidence in teaching STEM (science, technology, engineering and math)-based curriculum.
Boeing employees will have the opportunity to serve as volunteers to help students see the impact of the critical skills they are learning in the classroom and connect them to real-world career opportunities.
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 300,000 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 http://www.challenger.org .
About Challenger Learning Center-St. Louis
The award-winning Challenger Learning Center, located at 205 Brotherton Road in Ferguson, Missouri offers simulated space mission and other space education programs for schools, scouts, and corporate groups as well as for the general public. The Challenger Learning Center-St. Louis is a partnership of the Ferguson-Florissant School District , the Saint Louis Science Center and the Cooperating School Districts and is part of the Challenger Center for Space Science Education, an international not-for-profit education organization founded in April 1986 by the families of the astronauts tragically lost during the Challenger space shuttle mission.
About Boeing
Boeing is the world’s leading aerospace company and the largest manufacturer of commercial jetliners and military aircraft combined. Additionally, Boeing designs and manufactures rotorcraft, electronic and defense systems, missiles, satellites, launch vehicles and advanced information and communication systems. As a major service provider to NASA, Boeing operates the Space Shuttle and International Space Station. The company also provides numerous military and commercial airline support services. Boeing has customers in more than 90 countries around the world and is one of the largest U.S. exporters in terms of sales. Headquartered in Chicago , Boeing employs more than 157,000 people across the United States and in 70 countries. For more information visit www.boeing.com.
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Challenger Learning Center-St. Louis
Tasmyn Front
tasmyn@clcstlouis.org
314-524-3490
Boeing
Ann Beach
ann.m.beach@boeing.com
312-544-2997
