Christa McAuliffe 2021 Silver Dollar

"I touch the future. I teach."

Christa McAuliffe, a high-school social studies teacher, spoke these inspiring and immortal words. She was to be the first teacher in space, but tragically died in the Challenger disaster of 1986. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the tragedy and the U.S. mint honors her with the 'Christa McAuliffe 2021 Silver dollar'. At the time of writing this post, our First Lady Jill Biden, is visiting the Christa McAuliffe school, Concord, New Hampshire to honor Christa McAuliffe and her legacy, for Women’s history month.

Christa McAuliffe

Sharon Christa McAuliffe, was part of the generation that saw the dawn of the space age and wanted to be a part of it. Christa taught American history, law and economics and a self-designed course 'The American Woman' in Concord High school, New Hampshire. She was a dedicated teacher and exceptional at her job.

President Reagan, announced the 'Teacher in Space' project in 1984, which was meant to send an 'ordinary person' to space. 11,000 teachers applied, Christa McAuliffe among them. The project was meant to rekindle the interest in space exploration among Americans and to honor the role of teachers and education in the country. Out of the initial applicants, 114 semi-finalists were selected. McAuliffe was one of two teachers from New Hampshire. Based on a Review Panel, 10 finalists were chosen and they traveled to Johnson Space Center for a week of medical examinations and space flight briefings. McAuliffe was announced the winner, as she was considered 'the most broad-based and best balanced of the 10'.

McAuliffe took a year long leave to train for the Space Shuttle mission. She would be doing experiments in-flight on chromatography, hydroponics, magnetism, and Newton's laws. She would also conduct two 15 minute classes for students and a tour of the space shuttle called 'the Ultimate field trip' and a lesson on space travel, called "Where We've Been, Where We're Going, Why". If the mission had been successful, the experience would have benefited millions of school children who would have watched the broadcast from their homes. Christa McAuliffe was a natural with the media and a darling of the masses by the time she boarded the space shuttle with the rest of her crew members. But just seventy three seconds into the flight, the shuttle broke apart resulting in the death of all crew members.

Though tragic and heart wrenching, McAuliffe’s legacy lives on due through a number of educational institutions named after her. Even a crater in the Moon and Venus , and an asteroid bear her name.

Christa McAuliffe 2021 Silver dollar - The design

The Christa McAuliffe Silver dollar will celebrate her life and legacy as an educator and true pioneer. The obverse design depicts a portrait of McAuliffe with a hopeful gaze. The reverse depicts McAuliffe as a teacher, smiling as she points forward and upward, symbolizing the future. Three high school-age students look on with wonder. The seven stars above them pay tribute to those who perished in the Challenger tragedy. Around the border are the inscriptions "I TOUCH THE FUTURE. I TEACH.," "E PLURIBUS UNUM," "ONE DOLLAR," and "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA." The logo of the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) organization is also included.