Pioneering teacher voted our favorite human

It is unanimous. Our fish voted Christa McAuliffe their favorite human being from recent history.

"She was just a great lady," said Lucas the silver dollar. "She saw an opportunity for a great adventure -- one that would stretch her knowledge, and that of schoolchildren everywhere, to the limits -- and she went for it. That is such a rare and noble thing."

McAuliffe was selected to be the first "Teacher in Space" by NASA, but her mission was unfulfilled. She, along with her six crew mates, died on Jan. 28, 1986 when the space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after launch.

"Her dream was to bundle up the excitment of space and make it accessible to children and ordinary people everywhere," said Hercules the Hatchetfish. "We have lost her, but her dream can still come true. We need to dedicate ourselves to that."

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the Challenger disaster. Commemorations held around the country honored the memory of the Challenger seven -- Commander Dick Scobee, Pilot Mike Smith, Judith Resnik, Ron McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Greg Jarvis and Christa McAuliffe. Freshwater Adventures joins the nation in offering our eternal thanks, good wishes and prayers to the families of these courageous Americans.