Christa McAuliffe
Christa McAuliffe was born Sharon Christa Corrigan on September 2, 1948 in Massachusetts. She received her teaching degree from Framingham State College and her Master's Degree from Bowie State College. Christa was married to Steve McAuliffe and had two children.
After several years of teaching high school history, Christa was selected from a group of over 11,000 applicants to become the first Teacher in Space. She trained rigorously and was prepared to not only work with the crew of the Challenger but to also teach several lessons from space.
Sadly, the Challenger exploded one minute and 13 seconds after its launch on January 28, 1986.
Christa McAuliffe was a dedicated teacher who encouraged her students to "reach for the stars." It was her courage and dedication that brought her immediately to mind when students and parents of a new elementary school in Germantown, Maryland were given the task of naming their new school. A group of students selected the name, it was approved by parents and then by the BOE. Many suggestions were made, but the memory of Sharon Christa McAuliffe is carried on by the thousands of boys and girls who have passed through the doors at McAuliffe Elementary School.
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