BANGOR, Maine — On Tuesday, the Challenger Learning Center of Maine announced it will receive $2.186 million dollars in federal funding from NASA to install new state of the art equipment.
The funding will allow the center to make key upgrades including "NASA-like" simulations for its mission control, space craft, and transport rooms.
The announcement of the grant comes as the center celebrates its 20th anniversary providing STEM learning opportunities for students.
"I'm so excited to allow a new generation of students to come in and to have the same experiences that I had," Katelynn Ronan, a board member and chair for the Challenger Learning Center of Maine, said.
Ronan was 10 years old when she first stepped foot inside of the center. Now 20 years later she serves as a board member and chair of the fundraising committee helping to create those same experiences for students.
"Science, engineering, and math programs are not available in all schools and this program that we have here at the Challenger Learning Center allows students to get that interest very, very young," Ronan said.
The nonprofit says their mission is to continue to inspire Maine students toward STEM learning and careers for the next 20 years.
"They have STEM self-efficacy in their experience while they're here, and they get to try, and we get to say 'you did it' and 'you did it well' and 'you can do this,'" Kirsten Hibbard, the executive director of the Challenger Learning Center of Maine, said.
In addition to the upgrades, the center announced its "Launching Dreams Campaign" to fundraise another 1.5 million dollars which will provide scholarships for students in underserved communities and serve more students, schools, and families with state of the art facilities.
As the center celebrates its 20th year serving students, they hope to encourage kids to explore careers in STEM.
"It's so powerful to be able to witness that happening and to see a student who otherwise wouldn't have the opportunity to see themselves in that position," Sarah Raymond-Boyan, the education director for the Challenger Learning Center of Maine, said.
The center will begin construction to improve its simulation equipment starting this December with plans to complete its transformation in March 2025. When the new installation is complete, the organization will be one of only five Challenger Centers in the country to provide students with the latest simulator technology and equipment.