About Us

Janet Moore
Lead Flight Director
• Challenger Learning Center at Prairie Aviation Museum

How many years have you been a Flight Director?

Since 2003.

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Why did you decide to work at a Challenger Learning Center? What was it about the organization’s mission that appealed to you? And, in retrospect, how has the experience been compared with your initial expectations?

As a teacher with a love for mathematics and science, and a fascination with astronomy and space flight, the Challenger Learning Center seemed to be a natural fit for me. With its commitment to providing hands on educational opportunities, the Challenger Learning Center allows me to reach students in a way that was not possible in a traditional classroom environment. Now, after working with the Challenger Learning Center at Prairie Aviation Museum for nearly a year, I am continually amazed by its ability to reach students who do not excel in a traditional classroom. I am proud to be a part of a program that can make such a positive change in education year after year.

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The founding family members of Challenger Center refer to Challenger Learning Centers as living memorials to the 51-L crew. What does it mean to you when you hear that you are "continuing their mission?"

The Challenger crew was an inspiration to the world. The Teacher in Space program brought space exploration to the forefront of American classrooms more effectively than any event since the first man walked on the Moon. However, the Challenger shuttle crew was being closely followed by more than just school children. The talented and diverse crew showed the entire world that space exploration is for everyone. At the Challenger Learning Center, I am proud to continue carrying that message by providing opportunities for everyone in Central Illinois to learn about and experience space.

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How has your Challenger Learning Center changed your community—especially in its commitment to education?

Even in our first months of operation, I have witnessed a change in our area teachers, students, and parents, and our community in general. Simply put, the Challenger Learning Center is sparking excitement in our community. Teachers cannot wait to see what their students will do in their simulated space missions. Students bubble with excitement as they walk into our facility, anticipating the experience of a lifetime. Parents write letters to local newspapers to express their gratitude and astonishment at what the Challenger Learning Center provides for their children. And in a time of school budget cuts, when schools cannot afford their own teachers, let alone Challenger Learning Center missions, individuals, businesses, and organizations have pulled together to sponsor school missions, thus providing area students with the educational opportunity of a lifetime.

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What was your most memorable Challenger Learning Center experience?

Being Mission Commander and taking a group of students on a simulated space mission for the very first time was an incredible experience. Any nerves or fears of mine were put to rest by the enthusiasm of my "astronauts." Even in my very first mission, I witnessed the power of the Challenger Learning Center when students asked if they had really gone into space and discovered a comet.

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What do you remember most about the Challenger mission and its crew?

To be perfectly honest, there is not much that I remember about January 28, 1986. At that time, I was five years old, and I really did not understand what had happened. It was not until a few years later when I began to learn about the Challenger mission and crew as a part of a classroom assignment that I began to gain an understanding. I remember being amazed at the ability that the Challenger crew had to touch and change the world, and I remember wanting to inspire the world the way they did.

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If someone were to ask you about the value of a Challenger Learning Center program, how would you respond?

The Challenger Learning Center program is the single most effective educational tool I have ever experienced. The real-world application of classroom concepts and the necessity of teamwork and communication combine to provide students with an unforgettable learning experience.

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