Christa McAuliffe Statehouse Memorial Commission Hosts Student Arts-Based Competition

CONCORD, NH — The Christa McAuliffe State House Memorial Commission is hosting an arts-based competition for New Hampshire students to coincide with a memorial that will be installed for the Concord social studies teacher and astronaut on the Statehouse grounds.

The contest has three tiers — K to fourth grade, fifth to eighth grade, and high school. Submissions were described by state officials as “arts-based,” meaning any form of visual art medium — painting, drawing, digital, etc.; poetry; or an essay consisting of no more than 1,000 words. A disclaimer on the description noted all submissions must be “entirely original and not utilize any form of artificial intelligence software.”

The contest theme is “The Life and Work of S. Christa McAuliffe, longtime educator and selectee of the NASA Teacher in Space Project.” Organizers are explicitly looking for characteristics such as education, legacy, exploration, etc. According to the entry criteria, those themes should be essential in the submissions.

“This is another exciting opportunity for Granite State students to pay tribute to Christa McAuliffe through artwork,” Gov. Chris Sununu said. “Christa’s legacy continues to inspire children in New Hampshire and beyond.”

Three winners will be chosen at each grade level before the memorial unveiling, which is slated to occur later this year.

Submissions are due June 1.

Physical submissions should be sent to The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (Attention: Jeanne Gerulskis) 2 Institute Dr, Concord, NH 03301. Works of writing must be sent (in a word processing document) to arts@doe.nh.gov.

McAuliffe was a Concord High School social studies educator who taught women’s history, economics, and other subjects and was an advisor to the school’s World Affairs Club. She was chosen out of hundreds to be the first teacher in space. McAuliffe died, along with six other astronauts, during the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion on Jan. 28, 1986.

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