ShareSpace Education, a program of the Aldrin Family Foundation, partnered with Challenger Center, a leading science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education organization, to donate three Giant Mars Map and one Giant Moon Map Interactive education packages promoting STEAM education in four Challenger Learning Centers (Challenger Learning Center at Heartland Community College, Il; Challenger Learning Center of Northern Nevada, Nv.; Challenger STEM Learning Center; UTC; and Challenger Learning Center of Lockport, N.Y.).
Each package includes a 15-foot x 15-foot map, four Welcome to Mars/Welcome to the Moon books, the Mars/Moon Map Curriculum package developed in collaboration with Purdue University, and access to in-person and online program training from the ShareSpace Foundation. The value of each Giant Mars Map/Giant Mars Map package is valued at $5,000.
“We are excited that these four Challenger Learning Centers will have Giant Mars Map or Giant Moon Map interactive education packages to offer to their students and community,” said Denise Kopecky, vice president of Education, Challenger Center. “Every day at our Centers, students travel to space when they fly our simulation-based missions. These maps are another way for students and members of these communities to experience the excitement and wonder of space.”
“Giant Mars and Moon Maps are a means for sparking creativity in kids while they sit, stand, walk, play and learn together,” said Dr. Andrew Aldrin, president of AFF. “We are honored to partner with an incredible organization like Challenger Center and share this unique STEAM experience with their next generation across the United States.”
Each year, AFF works with donors to make Giant Mars Map packages available for distribution. Individual schools, school districts and informal education organizations submit applications, which are reviewed by an independent team of judges. Map recipients are selected with the goal of reaching people and places where the map can be used as an authentic teaching tool to help children develop an understanding for real-world, STEAM-based concepts using the Red Planet as the focal point.