Eighteen fourth-sixth graders across Paducah and McCracken County who love science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and reading got a chance to combine those passions. The students were invited to the Mayor’s Book Club at the Challenger Learning Center at Paducah on October 28.
The students met the Mayor Gayle Kaler and read along with her from the book Moonbase Crisis, the first in a trilogy of books co-written by Dr. June Rodgers, the widow of the Space Shuttle Challenger Commander Dick Scobee. Each student received a copy of the book at the reading. Mayor Kaler also talked with the students about the importance of both reading and the STEM disciplines.
Eleven year-old Community Christian Academy student, Isabela Smith, has enjoyed missions at the Challenger Learning Center with her school, and returning to the center for the book club was another new and exciting venture for her. “I think it’s so cool to have woman as mayor, and it’s a honor for any kid to get to meet her and be a part of the book club,” said Smith.
The mayor was pleased to see all the students come for the book club and to be able to share a book that’s so fitting for the Challenger Learning Center. “There are so many wonderful opportunities for students to learn more about science here at the center and I’m excited to share a book from an astronaut’s wife’s point of view,” said Mayor Kaler.
In the spring of 2014, the students and Mayor Kaler will meet again at the center for a follow-up discussion about the book. The students can also write one page on their experience of reading the book and have a chance to win the next two books in the trilogy, Space Station Crisis and Asteroid Crisis. Smith said she is definitely going to write about her experience, and winning the books would be a bonus. “I really like writing reports,” she said.
For more information about the Challenger Learning Center, contact Mellisa Duncan at (270) 534-3097 or mellisa.duncan@kctcs. For more information about future book club readings with Mayor Kaler, contact Pam Spencer, City of Paducah public information officer, at (270) 444-8669 or pspencer@paducahky.gov.
The students met the Mayor Gayle Kaler and read along with her from the book Moonbase Crisis, the first in a trilogy of books co-written by Dr. June Rodgers, the widow of the Space Shuttle Challenger Commander Dick Scobee. Each student received a copy of the book at the reading. Mayor Kaler also talked with the students about the importance of both reading and the STEM disciplines.
Eleven year-old Community Christian Academy student, Isabela Smith, has enjoyed missions at the Challenger Learning Center with her school, and returning to the center for the book club was another new and exciting venture for her. “I think it’s so cool to have woman as mayor, and it’s a honor for any kid to get to meet her and be a part of the book club,” said Smith.
The mayor was pleased to see all the students come for the book club and to be able to share a book that’s so fitting for the Challenger Learning Center. “There are so many wonderful opportunities for students to learn more about science here at the center and I’m excited to share a book from an astronaut’s wife’s point of view,” said Mayor Kaler.
In the spring of 2014, the students and Mayor Kaler will meet again at the center for a follow-up discussion about the book. The students can also write one page on their experience of reading the book and have a chance to win the next two books in the trilogy, Space Station Crisis and Asteroid Crisis. Smith said she is definitely going to write about her experience, and winning the books would be a bonus. “I really like writing reports,” she said.
For more information about the Challenger Learning Center, contact Mellisa Duncan at (270) 534-3097 or mellisa.duncan@kctcs. For more information about future book club readings with Mayor Kaler, contact Pam Spencer, City of Paducah public information officer, at (270) 444-8669 or pspencer@paducahky.gov.