Senator Bob Casey visited the Indiana County Technology Center yesterday to discuss the potential impact of the Challenger Learning Center on the county and on western Pennsylvania.
Casey met with educators and community business leaders and talked about the benefits of having a Challenger Learning Center in a rural setting, especially focusing on STEM education. He spoke about the workforce development concept of cradle-to-adulthood education and training, highlighting the regional impact, which includes 22 counties and 187 school districts.
Challenger Learning Center Executive Director Doug Legenfelter says Casey was intrigued by the workforce development aspect of the project.
Casey said the Challenger Learning Center “was worth making happen” and he was pleased to be able to help make it a reality.
Originally conceived more than five years ago as a STEM education facility affiliated with NASA’s National Challenger Foundation, Indiana County’s Challenger Learning Center has been steadily accumulating funding and has gone through a number of design phases, finally settling on a 29,000-square-foot building at ICTC, with the first floor of the facility housing Westmoreland County Community College and Challenger located on the other two floors.
More than $4 million of the estimated cost of $9 million needed has been raised, according to Legenfelter, and Casey’s support will be a key to closing the funding gap.
Doug Legenfelter will join us on WCCS on Indiana In the Morning following the news at 8 o’clock this morning.
