Palm Bay, Florida’s own Christa McAuliffe Elementary is getting an immersive STEM learning experience this spring as the first stop on our Starlab Days tour. The story behind their nomination is one worth telling.
Every school on the Starlab Days tour earned their spot. But there’s something about the story Christa McAuliffe Elementary told us in their nomination that set the tone for everything this program is supposed to be.
Christa McAuliffe Elementary is a Title I public school in Palm Bay, Florida, serving 690 students from Pre-K through 6th grade on Florida’s Space Coast — a community where rocket launches are practically a part of the school calendar, but where many students have only ever experienced space science through a textbook. For a lot of their students, a school day is about as close as they’ll get to a traditional STEM field trip — and not because the curiosity isn’t there, but because the access isn’t.
“Many students are familiar with the concept of space but never get the chance to really realize what that might look like as a career. If students realize how amazing space is at a young age, it is likely they will grow up to become someone that is part of the space industry.I speak for both students and teachers alike when I state that Starlab would be a wonderful experience for all of us,” shared 6th grade Christa McAuliffe student Delia McNally.
This is what Starlab Days was built for.
Further, when Tracy Donovan, STEM teacher at Christa McAuliffe Elementary, submitted their nomination, the case she made was hard to argue with. She described a school working hard to meet its science improvement goals, students who light up every time they walk into the STEM lab, and a community that deserves a moment of wonder that goes beyond what any lesson plan can offer.
Then she mentioned something that stopped the whole team: 2026 marks the 40th anniversary of the Challenger disaster — and Christa McAuliffe, the school’s namesake, dedicated her life to the idea that space education belongs in every classroom. Bringing Starlab to her namesake school, in this year, felt less like a selection and more like an answer.
In their own words:
“Living on the Space Coast, our kids hear about rockets and space every day — but stepping inside Starlab would let them feel it. It would open their eyes to a universe many of them have only seen in books. This is the 40th anniversary of the Challenger disaster. Christa McAuliffe’s goal was to bring space education into the classroom. What an amazing way to honor her legacy by bringing Starlab to our school and immersing our students into the world of space.” — Tracy Donovan, STEM Teacher, Christa McAuliffe Elementary
Theirs was the kind of nomination that reminded us why we built the program in the first place.
What Christa McAuliffe Elementary Can Expect When the Starlab Arrives
When the Starlab team rolls into Palm Bay this spring, every student will have a chance to see Starlab in action, and the school will have the chance to host local educators as part of our ongoing commitment to STEM enrichment.
Every session is led by trained Starlab facilitators and covers programming in astronomy, Earth science, space exploration, meteorology, and more — adapted to the grade levels coming through the door. Given Christa McAuliffe’s focus on Earth and Space science standards, students will have the chance to experience the very concepts they’ve been working hard to master — planetary motion, constellations, Earth’s systems — not as facts to memorize, but as something they can stand inside and feel.
For Christa McAuliffe Elementary’s students, it’ll be a day that lives well outside the bounds of a normal school day, which is exactly the point.
Follow Along
We’ll be documenting the visit from setup to final session. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for photos, student reactions, and behind-the-scenes moments from every stop on the tour.
Want to bring Starlab to your school? Start the conversation at starlabdays@starlab.com.
