UNIVERSITY NEWS

Downtown Science Center, Designed to Serve Students and Teachers, Now on Launchpad

Challenger Center to Be Centerpiece of Facility in Former City Hall

Challenger Learning center logo; spacecraft launching into sky

The mission is counting down toward the launch of FSU’s Regional Science Center/Challenger Learning Center in Frostburg’s former City Hall on Main Street, which the city of Frostburg has donated to FSU.

The center will serve school-age children from the tri-state region, provide a resource for regional science teachers and allow College of Education students more opportunities to interact with children as part of their preparation.

A centerpiece will be the Challenger Learning Center, part of an international network of centers that use space-themed simulated learning and role-playing strategies. It was created by the families of the crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger following the tragic 1986 accident. FSU recently entered into a formal agreement with the national Challenger Center, which will provide the equipment and training for staff to operate the educational simulations.

Challenger Center missions are NASA-approved STEM experiences designed primarily for middle-school students.

The goal for the Science Education Center extends beyond the Challenger Center. The center will focus on hands-on activities for children and families interested in learning more about STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) subjects, including robotics and coding. The center will also be available for organizations interested in improving team-building skills and to allow science teachers to enhance lesson plans and develop techniques.

Challenger Center missions are NASA-approved STEM experiences designed primarily for middle-school students.

Placing the Challenger Center in this highly visible and accessible location will allow artifacts from time spent in space by NASA astronaut Ricky Arnold ’85/Hon. D ’19 (on loan from NASA for permanent display) to be an informative and interesting stop for visitors in town.

FSU has already secured a commitment from Allegany County Public Schools to add this experience to their science-learning curriculum for middle-school students, along with written support from neighboring school systems. All systems within a 90-minute radius of Frostburg will be able to participate.

To support the FSU Regional Science Center/Challenger Science Center, contact the FSU Foundation at 301-687-4068, or visit foundation.frostburg.edu.