McAuliffe, Christa (1948-1986)

Name:

McAuliffe, Christa (1948-1986)

Other Names:

Corrigan, Sharon Christa

Born:

09/02/1948

Birthplace:

Framingham, MA

Died:

01/26/1986

Death Location:

Over Cape Canaveral, FL

Residence:

Framingham, MA -- born and raised
Concord, NH -- after marriage

Nationality:

American

Occupation:

Teacher -- Concord High School

Father:

Corrigan, Edward

Mother:

Corrigan, Grace

Spouse:

McAuliffe, Steven J. (1948-)

Children:

2 children

Notes:

Sharon Christa McAuliffe, the eldest of Edward and Grace Corrigan's five children, was born on September 2, 1948, in Framingham, MA. While in high school, Christa met Steve McAuliffe. Christa attended Framingham State College, majored in history, and received her degree in 1970. That year, she and Steve were married. Soon after, they moved to Washington, DC, where Steve attended law school.
Christa taught school until the birth of her first child, Scott. She then attended Bowie State College and earned a masters degree in school administration in 1978. Shortly thereafter Steve, Christa and Scott moved to Concord, NH, and Christa's second child, Caroline, was born. The McAuliffes settled into an old, three-story house, Steve began his law practice, and Christa stayed home with the children.
Christa's love of teaching soon led her back to the classroom. First, Christa taught at Bow Memorial School, and then moved to Concord High School. Christa was also actively involved in the community - church, a tennis club, the local playhouse, the YMCA and Concord Hospital. In addition, she was a Girl Scout leader, a jogger and a swimmer.
When the opportunity came to apply to be the first Teacher in Space, everyone who knew Christa told her to "Go for it!" She completed the eleven page application, mailed it at the last minute and hoped for the best. After becoming a finalist, Christa did not think she would be chosen. Some of the other teachers were doctors, authors, scholars. . . she was just an ordinary person. However, she was chosen, out of 11,500 applicants. An ordinary person - to whom ordinary people could relate - doing the extraordinary.