As NASA turns 50 today, I can’t help but be reminded of a seminal moment of my childhood: the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster—73 seconds into its flight—killing all seven of its crew members. For my generation, many of NASA’s massive accomplishments appeared only in history books. Kids across America witnessed something going horribly wrong and people dying.

The date was January 28, 1986 and I was huddled in the media room of my school’s library. We were anxiously watching the first teacher head into orbit. Christa McAuliffe is a name that I will never forget.

Today, I still think back to how our teachers responded. They didn’t turn off the TV set. They let us watch the events unfold, interviews with experts, the press conferences, the reaction of those who were there to see it first hand. The teachers talked with us about what had happened and asked us how it made us feel.

It is a reminder of how powerful a medium television remains and how even in a disaster, kids and adults alike can learn and grow.

- Christopher Turman, Smart Television Alliance

Filed under General

Del.icio.us Digg