Thanks to Klein ISD teacher Janet Ellis for sending me her thoughts about and memory of Challenger:

I was teaching at Doerre Intermediate School in North West Harris County as a Special Ed teacher for Klein ISD. I was on my conference period, and for some reason, I turned on the radio in my classroom. This was very unusual for me to do as I usually had too much to do to even think about the radio.I realized the Challenger was going to launch, and with Christie McAuliffe on board, I was hoping to be able to catch some news on the launch. I was so proud to have a member of our profession involved in the space program. I had wished that I had the courage to pursue that dream and make such a mark in history and for our schoolchildren. Many at that time began to take the space program for granted; however I could remember when I was younger how we used to watch the launches of the Gemini and Apollo programs on TV at school and was wishing we could do that with Christie on board. My recent move to Houston from PA brought the space program even closer to my heart.

I turned on the radio and it seemed like the launch was continuing as planned. I imagined her family there watching. Then the unthinkable happened……as the broadcaster began to relate the story of the explosion my heart began to race. I felt like I had to tell somebody!

The teacher across the hall from me had close ties to the shuttle program. Her father was the pilot who flew the astronauts over to Florida from Houston. I raced to her classroom. I could feel my heart pounding as I tried to tell Sharon Geiger what was happening. After telling Sharon, I ran to the counselor's office and told her. Soon, our building was buzzing and everyone was glued to the radios around the building.  Many teachers, including me, were openly sobbing.

Today, our school in Klein ISD is a one-to-one computer school with an emphasis on technology. Each student has a school laptop issued for use during the school year. God forbid, if such a tragedy would happen today, we would all be glued to the Internet to get the latest news. Now, my students are all members of the NASA Kids' Club, and we tune in via the Internet to watch every launch, each EVA (spacewalk) and to celebrate each victory on the Space Station. We even raised our glasses to toast with tap water as the ISS crew took their first drink of the urine filtered water! We tune in for every launch. My students cannot relate to how I still hold my breath at every launch as a flash of the Challenger disaster crosses my mind. However, my learning disabled students are much more Space Savvy than many would expect thanks to the NASA Kids' Club and our use of technology. Many are openly very disappointed with the NASA cutbacks. But I digress…..

Also, I was privileged to attend the launch of Discovery last April 5th with my fiancé. As we stood at the launch viewing area awaiting the launch, I tried to imagine the families of the Challenger as they stood waiting for the launch of their loved ones. As the countdown continued, I was thinking of their shock and sorrow and helplessness on that fateful day. I prayed quietly for the crew of Challenger and their families since with every launch they must re-live that tragic loss, and of course, I then prayed for the crew of Discovery waiting on the launch pad. As Discovery launched, I held my breath trying to remember the exact moment of the Challenger explosion and trying to look at the side where I remember seeing the flash on the news. I was feeling such relief as Discovery went farther and farther out of site. A woman suddenly broke out with God Bless America and as unbelievable as it sounds, a Bald Eagle flew over us. REALLY!! I have to admit, I had tears rolling down my cheeks.

Since my recent move to the Clear Lake area and my engagement to a NASA employee, I have been fortunate enough to feel even more connected to the Space Program. I have walked the halls of NASA and met some of the actual astronauts. I even now live in the house belonging to one of the astronauts scheduled to go up on the last flight of Discovery. Believe me, I pray often for their safety as NASA tries to repair the problems with the shuttle, especially with the fuel tank cracks. I also drive around the Clear Lake/Seabrook area sometimes imagining Challenger and Columbia families and their lives as they were forever defined as Before Challenger and After Challenger. I also think of them when I take my family to Challenger Park to fish or down Kobiyashi Blvd to go to the mall.