Junior Chamber Distributes Challenger Poster to Students
One year after the crash of the Challenger shuttle, commemorative posters were distributed to area students Wednesday by the San Diego Junior Chamber of Commerce.
Chamber members said they hoped to help diffuse the shock many students felt at seeing the crash of the shuttle crew, which included teacher Sharon Christa McAuliffe.
Several San Diego schools disrupted classes a year ago so students could watch what was expected to be a joyous event as it was happening.
“All kids watching this on television were impacted by it,” said Mike Ribant, chamber vice president. “We wanted this (the poster) to be for the kids.”
Designed by two chamber members, the poster depicts a spacecraft circling the earth alongside a small picture of the Challenger crew, Ribant said.
Wednesday’s ceremony was held in the La Jolla High School classroom of Gloria McMillan, who was the California finalist for the NASA Teacher in Space Program.
McMillan was scheduled to be one of several guest speakers at a tribute for the Challenger crew at the Reuben H. Fleet Space Theater and Science Center in Balboa Park Wednesday night.
A 73-second moment of silence (the flight time at which the shuttle exploded) was observed by Fleet employees Wednesday morning, said Lori Landeck, a spokeswoman for the space theater.
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