The national STEM nonprofit Challenger Center has been looking to put down roots in Pennsylvania, and will be able to do so in a new partnership with Montgomery County Community College beginning this year, the orgs announced Wednesday.

The Challenger Center, which has a network of locations across the country, offers hands-on science and tech programing for young students with a goal of exciting kids about the topics and connecting them to future careers. The org was originally created by Challenger families to honor the crew of shuttle flight STS-51-L, the final flight of the Space Shuttle Challenger. Accordingly, many of its activities simulate space exploration and flight direction.

The org will be setting up shop at Montco’s Pottstown campus in the fall, and serve students in fifth through eighth grades. The orgs hope to serve about 7,000 students in its first year, with a special emphasis on underrepresented and underserved student populations in the area.

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