Christa McAuliffe is still a pioneer, decades after she was picked to become America’s first teacher in space. McAuliffe was one of seven crew members who died when the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart shortly after launch in 1986. On what would have been her 76th birthday, she became the first woman to be memorialized with a statue on the grounds of New Hampshire’s Statehouse in Concord, the city where she taught high school. The 8-foot-tall (2.4-meter) bronze by sculptor Benjamin Victor depicts McAuliffe walking in stride in a NASA flight suit. It is believed to be the first full statue of the teacher, known for her openness to experimental learning and her motto: “I touch the future, I teach.” McAuliffe was picked from among 11,000 candidates to be the first teacher and private citizen in space. Pam Melroy, NASA's deputy administrator, told the crowd at Monday's ceremony that McAuliffe's death was not in vain and had spurred advancements in spacecraft design, risk management and human space flight safety.