We pause today in memory of Christa McAuliffe, the New Hampshire teacher and NASA stronaut who died January 28, 1986, in the Challenger space shuttle disaster. We also honor the bravery and persistence of Idaho educator and IEA member Barbara Morgan, her backup in the NASA Teacher in Space program, who went on to fulfill the dream of an educator joining a shuttle mission when she successfully flew a space shuttle mission in 2007. 

Because of them both, teachers and students alike dream of doing the impossible. Because of them, we know that a dream deferred need not be a dream denied.

Thank you, Christa and Barbara.