Gates Chili Middle School students became space explorers during the Challenger Learning Center’s first Mission to Mars this school year!

Middle school science students took an out-of-this-world journey through space at the Challenger Learning Center of Greater Rochester, which is located inside the Kodak Center. The Monroe One BOCES program was created to inspire students’ interest in science and math and allows students to fly their Mission to Mars while having fun and exercising STEM process skills.

Gates Chili students entered the spacecraft and mission control simulator, led by commanders who walked them through a series of interactive science activities. From building a robot rover, to testing out response times and putting together a probe launch plan, the students collaborated for a successful Mission to Mars.

The Challenger Center began as a living memorial to the original Shuttle Challenger crew and serves as a way to continue the educational goals of teacher and astronaut Christa McAuliffe. For more information, visit monroe.edu/Challenger.