About Us
Call us at (270) 534-3101
Located on the campus of West Kentucky Community & Technical College
4810 Alben Barkley Drive
Paducah, KY 42001
Office Hours 8am-4:30pm
Mellisa Duncan, Director
mellisa.duncan@kctcs.edu
(270) 534-3097
Jennifer Reed, Education Coordinator
jennifer.reed@kctcs.edu
(270) 534-3098
Shelley Rinella, Lead Flight Director
shelley.rinella@kctcs.edu
(270) 534-3095
Sarah Davis, Administrative Assistant
sarahj.davis@kctcs.edu
(270) 534-3101
Our History & Vision
As a leader in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education, Challenger
Center and its international network of more than 40 Challenger Learning Centers use
space-themed simulated learning environments to engage students in dynamic, hands-on
opportunities. These experiences strengthen knowledge in STEM subjects and inspire
students to pursue careers in these important fields. The Challenger Learning Center
at Paducah is part of the global network that reaches hundreds of thousands of students
and tens of thousands of teachers each year. Founded in 1986, Challenger Center was
created to honor the crew of shuttle flight STS-51L. To learn more visit www.challenger.org.
The Challenger Learning Center at Paducah is a result of a partnership between Paducah
Junior College, Inc. and West Kentucky Community and Technical College. With strong
financial support from federal and state government, as well as members of the local
community, ground was broken for the construction of the CLC in April of 2001. The
Challenger Learning Center at Paducah officially opened on August 16, 2002, as the
44th member of the national Challenger Center for Space Science Education network.
Since the inaugural mission, Rendezvous With a Comet™ on September 16, 2002, the Challenger
Learning Center at Paducah has flown thousands of missions and added programming such
as summer camps, scouting workshops, after school programs and professional development
for area teachers.
The mission of the Challenger Learning Center at Paducah is to improve the quality
of science, technology, engineering and math education by providing opportunities
for all in our region to participate in quality real-life experiences, attain knowledge
and become life-long learners.
We envision the Challenger Learning Center at Paducah as a regional premier source
for science, technology, engineering and math education by:
- Promoting the importance of science, math, and technology in daily living.
- Providing quality programming for educators, students, businesses and the community.
- Using real-life experiences as a bridge between knowledge and the use of knowledge.
- Anticipating a changing world and cultivating the future generation of the STEM workforce.
