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Auburn's Scobee Elementary pays tribute to fallen astronauts on 26th anniversary of Challenger disaster

Nevaeh Colvert of Lori Adam
Mark Klaas/Auburn Reporter
Nevaeh Colvert of Lori Adam's kindergarten class passes by a painting of the fallen Challenger crew following a school-wide assembly at Dick Scobee Elementary last Friday. Auburn's Scobee, the Challenger's commander, is upper left in the painting.

February 1, 2012 · Updated 4:01 PM 

True to its name, Scobee Elementary School paid tribute to one of its own – an astronaut lost in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster 26 years ago.

Students, teachers and staff honored the memory of Dick Scobee, an Auburn native and the Challenger's commander, and the space shuttle's crew during a school-wide assembly at the school's gymnasium last Friday morning.

Students listened to a live presentation about the event, honored the astronauts lost with a moment of silence, and then watched a video moderated by Principal Adam Couch (pictured below) about the everyday items used today as a result of NASA inventions.

The Challenger disaster occurred on Jan. 28, 1986, when the space shuttle broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, killing its seven-member crew.

Jim Scobee, brother of Dick Scobee, and family members were on hand at the assembly.

The school, which was renamed in honor of the late astronaut, is home to a small museum of space artifacts for students to browse and study.

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