From Camper to Commander: Rick Flynn’s Multi-Generational Journey with Challenger Center

Rick Flynn, a science teacher of 20 years, has been part of the Buehler Challenger & Science Center community for virtually his entire life: first as a 5th-grade camper with a mother who also worked there, then as a Junior Commander himself, and today as a part-time Commander who runs programs alongside his wife.

We sat down with Rick to hear more about his remarkable generations-long connection to Challenger Center and what keeps him coming back decade after decade.

How did you first get involved with Challenger Center?

I attended the Challenger Center in 5th grade for summer camp and was hooked. I returned for several years until I was old enough to work as a Junior Commander. Once I started teaching, I returned as a part-time commander and have been there ever since.

My mother, Linda Flynn, was also a 5th-grade science teacher and is a huge inspiration for many of my life choices. She worked with the Center as a part-time commander for many years, and once I started working there, we were luckily able to work together for quite some time. We became known as the “Flying Flynns!” and loved to work the overnight Girl Scout events on the weekends.

Rick, with his brother, father, and mother.

Years later, my wife Meghann, also a middle school science teacher, became a part-time commander. We currently run programs together, specifically summer camps.

What do students gain from Challenger Center experiences that they might not get in a traditional classroom?

Something special happens during Missions and camps at Challenger Learning Centers. Students attend year after year not only because they are captivated by the scale and nature of our Center, but also because, when they are here, they forget they are teens and get lost in the idea that they are truly up-and-coming astronauts working to solve problems with NASA. The motivation and pride that students feel when they accomplish a difficult task or Mission cannot be replicated elsewhere.

Why do you think STEM education is important?

I believe STEM is crucial to our world and to our growth as a species. The critical thinking and problem-solving skills STEM teaches are so valuable to everyone, even those who do not pursue a career in the field. I personally feel that if everyone had a minor connection to STEM, the world at large would be a more prosperous and better place to live.

What has motivated you to stay in education after all these years?

Whether it’s with my own students in my 7th-grade classroom or the campers that come in for a Challenger Center Mission, the “aha” moment they experience when something finally clicks is the reason I stay in education. STEM is the perfect field for these moments to occur with staggering regularity.

I truly feel that part of why STEM is so appealing to my students and me is that there is always something new to learn and something new to create.

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Ready to make an impact? If you are a Challenger Center alumnus, we’d love to help your story reach the next generation. Reach out to info@challenger.org with “Alumni” in the subject line. Because sometimes, all it takes is one story to launch a lifetime of possibility.