Kenai’s Challenger Learning Center of Alaska has received a $25,000 donation from Marathon Petroleum. The aim for the funds is to support 20 fully-funded space simulator missions or virtual STEM programs for 5th and 6th grade students on the Kenai Peninsula.
According to a press release from Marathon, they feel that both programs “allow students to explore, ask questions, and learn real-life skills to better prepare themselves to succeed in a competitive workplace.”
Funds from donations are typically the lifeblood of the Challenger Center. As CEO Marnie Olcott told the Kenai City Council in November when they accepted a $100,000 grant, Challenger has much to accomplish but they need funding resources now more than ever: “The Challenger Learning Center is a hands-on STEM education center that services students from around the state – not just here on the Kenai Peninsula. Traditionally, we have students from across the state that come into the Center and they spend one, may two nights doing educational programs. Anything from simulated space missions to classes in rocketry. Not only do we service the school populations, but we also service other organizations, such as the Girl Scouts, the Boy Scouts, Air Patrol. When COVID hit, it completely cut us off at the knees. We lost every ounce of revenue that we had coming in because our programs are in-person, hands-on, and it completely cut us out.”
Marathon has been sponsoring simulated missions for the Kenai Peninsula School District for over a decade, but this grant is different in also including the funding Challenger’s virtual programs. Olcott told KSRM last week that Challenger has dedicated a lot of energy into their virtual programs due to the COVID-19 pandemic: “What we did when we did our virtual program option is that we really, really worked hard in trying to maintain that Challenger model. We didn’t want just another virtual program where kids are sitting in front of a computer. We ship materials to each and every student that is engaging in our programs, so we don’t lose that hands-on activity. Then, also, the direct engagement with an instructor, not just an automated screen, and in addition to that, we’ve formulated programs featuring teamwork and communication – it’s always been such a huge part of the Challenger model.”
Cameron Hunt, Marathon’s Kenai Refinery Manager commented via press release: “We are continually impressed with the programs at Challenger. The missions, I believe, represent very real-world challenges and the program helps build the skills to work as a team to solve them. Marathon is proud to be a premier sponsor once again.”
Anyone on the Kenai interested in contributing or seeing what programs are being featured at the Challenger Center are invited to visit them online at AKChallenger.org. or via telephone at (907) 283-2000.
