Challenger Learning Center of Northeast Alabama ready for lift off after two year effort

State and local leaders, schools, and community members gathered in Rainbow City for the groundbreaking of the Challenger Learning Center of Northeast Alabama. There was more than a two-year effort to secure the center which will provide hands-on space-themed STEM learning opportunities for students in a 12-county service area.

The center in Rainbow City would be the first Challenger Learning Center in Alabama.The center is part of the global network of learning centers under the Challenger Center nonprofit organization. The organization was established by the families of the Space Shuttle Challenger to honor the crew. The programs at the centers are meant to cultivate problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, teamwork, and collaboration.

“It matters. These young people are getting an experience of a lifetime. We are all proud to provide them this opportunity and watch them succeed,” said Governor Kay Ivey.

The service area includes the following counties:

• Etowah
• Blount
• Calhoun
• Cherokee
• Clay
• Cleburne
• Dekalb
• Jefferson
• Marshall
• Randolph
• St.Clair
• Talladega

The center is supported by an $8.5 million education trust fund (ETF) supplemental appropriation from the state legislature. Rainbow City Mayor Joe Taylor said the local match total was more than $1 million including resources, such as the land the center will be built on and supplying the center with a school resource officer. $2.4 million in congressionally directed spending was secured through Congressman Robert Aderholt. The federal funds will go toward the Challenger Simulator.

The center is located in Rainbow City across from the Mega Sports Complex. Taylor said construction is expected to take a year.

The mission of the center is to:

“Engage students and teachers in dynamic, hands-on exploration and discovery opportunities that strengthen knowledge in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), inspire students to pursue careers in these fields, and provide an outlet to learn and apply important life skills.”

Workforce development was a significant theme during many of the remarks given at the groundbreaking.

In 2021, nearly 10 million people were working in STEM jobs, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The total was projected to increase by almost 11% by 2031, which was two times faster than non-STEM jobs.

More recent data from the Department of Labor showed STEM occupations were slated to increase 10.4% from 2023 to 2033. The median wage for STEM jobs was $101,650, compared to $46,680 for non-STEM jobs.

In 2023, ACT data showed only 15% of students met the ACT STEM College Readiness Benchmark in 2023. In 2019, 20% met the benchmark. The ACT STEM College Readiness Benchmark represents the level of readiness students need to have a 50% chance of earning a B or higher and about a 75% chance of earning a C or higher in typical first-year college STEM courses.

“That folks is where the Challenger Center can play a crucial role in getting our students interested at an earlier age. Studies have cited knowledge retention rates of up to 80 and 90% when hands-on, experiential learning is utilized to teach STEM,” said State Senator Andrew Jones, R-Centre. “STEM education, workforce development, industrial recruitment. They are all linked together. All pieces of the same puzzle, if you will, for the economic potential of our East Alabama area.”

Jones said the Challenger Learning Center aligned with the investments made in the region’s economic revitalization efforts, which included the Northeast Alabama Regional Megasite and the Gadsden State Advanced Manufacturing Center.

“It has so many vast meanings for [Rainbow City], not only workforce development but an economic development driver for us. When someone comes here and wants to do business in Rainbow City, we know now that we can use this as a bragging point. It becomes a really, really strong point for us,” said Mayor Taylor. “We are looking at a concentric circle that is going to have 50-60,000 kids in it. Students that can come up here and be a part of STEM learning in a way we were not able to give that to them in our normal school day. It is a way for them to break out, come up here, and exercise their brains.”

“We are painting a really, really good picture of economic development in Northeast Alabama. This region is never going to stop. We’ve got great leadership in all of our cities. We’ve got it in our legislative delegation and I think it is coming to fruition. We are a true player not only statewide but globally,” said Taylor.

In 2022, an advisory council was created with the mission of bringing the Challenger Learning Center to Etowah County. The advisory board was made up of 15 businessmen and women, community leaders, and educators. In June 2023, it was announced the center would be located in Rainbow City.

“They were expansive. They thought about we need to make this not just something for Etowah County, but how do we make it regional and could even have a reach across the state. We think we are going to have students participate in activities here at least as far away as Jefferson and Shelby County, Huntsville, and possibly bring some folks in from other states,” said Dr. Eric Mackey, Alabama State Superintendent of Education. “I hope we see some people who get inspired from this and become scientists and engineers and land jobs in Alabama and become part of our future economy.”

Mackey said engaging students has always been important, but it is even more so now.

“Especially with the online presence, with all that students have that’s taking their time and attention, it is just really hard to keep their attention in school. More opportunities to do things that are hands-on where they see the intrinsic meaning and where they feel like they are learning something that they can apply to a future career. It could be very exciting for a lot of young people. There will be thousands of kids that come through here in the future,” said Mackey.

The state has invested funds into different learning opportunities for students.

“If you look at what we are doing in Huntsville with the science and tech centers. If you look at what we’ve just done in Demopolis with health science. Now here with the Challenger Center along with the math and science school in Mobile. I think we have to intrigue kids’ minds to do and be the best they can be,” said Nathaniel Ledbetter, Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives.

Challenger Center Founding Chair Dr. June Scobee Rodgers attended the groundbreaking. She is the widow ofChallenger Space Shuttle Commander Richard “Dick” Scobee. Rodgers is from Alabama.