Giving Tuesday: Double Your Impact for STEM Education

Hands-on learning is one of the most effective ways to spark student interest in STEM. Experiments and simulations like those at Challenger Learning Centers make abstract concepts tangible. Students go beyond the textbook to apply learning to solve fun, real-life problems. However, not every student has access to these types of learning opportunities, especially those in remote or under-resourced communities.

That’s where our partnership with Blue Origin’s Club for the Future made a difference. In 2021, we were awarded $1 million, which expanded access to our simulated space missions at Challenger Learning Centers, especially for students from rural and Title I schools. Sponsoring these students allowed us to engage schools and teachers who had never visited a Challenger Learning Center and those who had been unable to visit since the COVID-19 pandemic.

From January 2022 to December 2023, Challenger Learning Centers across the U.S. recruited classes to participate in our Missions. After the Missions, teachers completed surveys to share feedback on their experiences. The results were incredible. Over 95% of teachers reported seeing results in their students’ problem-solving abilities, teamwork, and sense of achievement.

When teachers reflected on how their students benefitted from the Missions, their stories illustrate the transformative power of hands-on learning:

I had students who stated, “I used to think I wasn’t any good in science, but after doing this, I think I am good at it.” [Being] on a team—a specified and unique role—gave students confidence. It really inspires students of all cultures to feel successfully “scientific.” …They were so engaged with the task they weren’t worried about making mistakes—they just went with it and were able to problem-solve when errors occurred.

– 9^th & 10^th grade teacher from New York, NY

I feel the most beneficial part of the experience was that my students felt successful. I have a significant number of students in my class [who have] academic struggles, but this showed them that there are skills they have that are far more important than any test score will show. In addition, because this was a simulation, it’s one of the richest forms of learning that can occur.

– 5^th grade teacher, Chesterton, IN

This was a fantastic opportunity for my students that created high levels of student engagement. It was also great that the mission encouraged students to collaborate. …This was definitely an experience that would be hard to get elsewhere, especially due to our location in Northern Maine.

– 7^th grade teacher from Van Buren, ME

Amplify Your Impact This Giving Tuesday

Challenger Center works hand-in-hand with teachers, partners, and funders to provide every student with this kind of rich learning experience. This Giving Tuesday, all donations made on December 3^rd will be matched up to $5,000. This means your contribution will go twice as far in supporting our programming and student access to hands-on STEM learning.

Together, we can ignite a passion for STEM fields in today’s students and inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators.