RAINBOW CITY– Title I schools in Cherokee, Etowah, Calhoun, and DeKalb counties have a new opportunity for discounted STEM visits.
The Challenger Learning Center of Northeast Alabama has received a $150,000 grant to help schools provide those experiences. The funding comes from the Phillip A. & Elise A. Sanguinetti Scholarship Fund through the Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama.
The grant will significantly discount a simulated space mission and a STEM activity during the 2026–2027 academic year. As a result, the center says thousands of students in grades 5–8 will have opportunities to participate. The program aims to expand access regardless of school budgets.
How Schools Can Participate
Eligible Title I schools also include those in St. Clair, Talladega, Clay, Randolph, and Cleburne counties. Together with Cherokee, Etowah, Calhoun, and DeKalb, they make up the grant’s nine-county service area.
One grade level per school may apply for the funding. Each student group can include up to 40 participants. The center can also accommodate two groups daily, for a total of up to 80 students.
Schools and school systems can apply through the online scholarship application. They can also email info@challengeral.org.
“We’re deeply grateful to the Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama and the Sanguinetti family for investing in the future of our region’s students,” said Dr. Farrah Hayes, executive director.
Hands-On Learning
The center’s NASA-inspired simulated missions give students opportunities to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Students also take part in hands-on experiments and engineering activities. In addition, the programming emphasizes critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving.
The center identifies itself as Alabama’s only Challenger Learning Center. It serves a broader 12-county region, but this scholarship grant covers the nine eligible counties.
The grant continues the foundation’s support for the center. The foundation also served as its fiscal sponsor during the building and establishment phase.
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