20 years since the Challenger tragedy

Yesterday marked twenty years since the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded killing all seven of the crew.

A few other people have posted their memories. My friend Jason and I were both in sixth grade at Prairie Elementary in Waukesha. He has published a piece of his journal from that day.

I remember the school principal Mr. Heinan announcing to us over the speaker in the classroom that the shuttle had exploded during its ascent into space.

We all kind of sat around in shock not knowing what to make of it. Our teacher, Mr. Johnson, spoke to us and tried to get our young minds to digest what had just occurred. Later that day, we all assembled in the school library and actually watched some of the news coverage and were able to view what had happened.

I walked home with my friends after school that day still talking about it. For some reason, I can't remember if we got out early that day or not. That evening, I went back and forth between watching the TV, and being slumped over on the couch in the basement den with the feeling of sadness and the reflex to feel numb duking it out in my head.