RAINBOW CITY, Ala.— Family Savings Credit Union has donated $375,000 to the Challenger Learning Center of Northeast Alabama, which gives it permanent naming opportunity for the center’s Mission Control facility.
The Challenger Learning Centers use space-themed simulated learning and role-playing strategies to help students bring classroom studies to life and cultivate skills needed for future success. It is named for the space shuttle Challenger that exploded in January of 1986, killing the astronauts aboard.
The donation establishes Family Savings Credit Union Mission Control, an immersive, space-themed learning environment where middle school students participate in simulated space missions. Students work in teams, assume real-world STEM roles and solve complex challenges during the programs, the credit union said.
Mission Control supports educational programming aligned with state education standards and serves students from a 12-county region in northeast Alabama. The programs are designed to introduce students to careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics while strengthening the region’s workforce pipeline.
‘Investing in Education’
“At Family Savings Credit Union, we believe investing in education is an investment in the future of our communities,” Danny Varnon, president and CEO of Family Savings Credit Union, said in a statement. “The Challenger Learning Center provides students with hands-on, real-world STEM experiences that inspire curiosity, teamwork, and problem-solving. We are proud to have our name associated as Mission Control and help ensure students across Northeast Alabama have access to innovative learning opportunities that prepare them for tomorrow’s world.”
