On February 5th, 2026, Paint Branch’s NJROTC Program held a memorial commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster. Held outside the main office, the ceremony was supposed to happen on January 28th to commemorate the day the event occurred in 1986, but because of school closures due to snow, it was postponed.
The disaster gets its name from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Shuttle of the same name that exploded off the coast of Cape Canaveral, Florida, shortly after takeoff due to structural failure.
The ceremony started off with a greeting, and shortly after, English teacher Mr. Ellis, who was deeply affected by the Challenger disaster as a young student, followed with a speech regarding the events. After his remarks, Mr. Ellis and selected cadets then placed wreaths in front of the pictures of the seven astronauts who were onboard the Challenger. Each time a wreath was placed, a bell was rung. Following the wreath ceremony, the event closed with Cadet Sherron reciting the poem “Challenger Memorial” by artyjules from All Poetry.com.
NJROTC Program Leader Captain Shin organized the event, which provided NJROTC cadets an opportunity to learn how a commemorative event such as this is set up and run. Cadet Angu, who was one of the cadets in charge of planning the ceremony, felt honored to have the opportunity to do so, though she admits that it was a difficult task as there was a lot of thinking and research involved. Overall, she was glad it turned out well in the end. Everyone involved expressed the importance of commemorating those lost in tragedies. Captain Shin stated that people should remember the sacrifices of fallen people, as it makes our history and country move forward. “The astronauts were in a dangerous situation, and they knew the dangers of potentially going into space,” he said. “But, if they don’t do that, we don’t ever advance.”
Mr. Ellis, who approached Captain Shin and the NJROTC cadets about the ceremony, declared it extremely important because it honored our heroes, people who changed the world and the way others think about things. “You had people from all representations and walks of life on that flight representing this country, representing all the people in this country, the diversity in this country, and the greatest and brightest of this country,” he noted.
Mr. Ellis recounts how, leading up to the launch of the Challenger in 1986, a lot of people were excited, and that classrooms all over the country were viewing it. As a result, he got to witness the launch. He recalls the tragedy of the day. “I was sitting in my 3rd grade class watching my hero [astronaut Ronald McNair] blow up in the sky with the other kids in my class and my teacher, who lost her hero that day which was Christa McAuliffe (another astronaut onboard). This moment and the commemoration of it mattered so much to me that I went back to visit my old classroom again to honor the anniversary.”
The ceremony here at Paint Branch recognized the victims on the 40th anniversary of the disaster. It was an important opportunity to recognize that the spirit of these courageous heroes could still be echoed in all of our daily lives. In his speech during the ceremony, Mr. Ellis quoted from astronaut McNair, who was one of his heroes at the time and who remains so today.
