Disclaimer: I’m describing events from the POV of 6 y/o me. Who was not necessarily sensitive nor cognizant of the gravity of the event. So I’m sort of mocking myself here.

January 1986. I just started my second semester of school (i.e. kindergarten). I remember in school we’d been talking about the impending launch of Space Shuttle Challenger. Space shuttles and anything space related of course spoke to me at that time (who am I kidding it still does today).

I remember constructing a paper replica of Challenger, except you know, it was how you’d expect a kid to draw a rocket- with windows and view of the people inside like it was a bus.

I planned to show the class at the next show and tell. And then, the debacle of Space Shuttle Challenger happened.

If you are unfamiliar with this event, Challenger exploded about a minute after lift off, killing all 7 crew members on board. This was especially notable as one crew member was a civilian – a teacher.  If you’d like to read more about the “why” behind the crash, history.com has a good overview.

https://www.history.com/topics/1980s/challenger-disaster

Well, a few days passed and it was show and tell day. And…  I still planned to show off my paper rocket. But I cut up scraps of orange paper into essentially confetti. Because I thought – why not re-enact a current event.

So my mom asks me at breakfast what I’m doing for show and tell, and I excitedly…no proudly put on my show. With my paper rocket in hand I guided into the air then let it drop while throwing orange confetti to represent the fire from the explosion.  💥 Given my budget for show and tell, my performance would be somewhat of an interpretive performance.

I remember my mom calmly yet authoritatively responded “yeah – it’s too soon. Your audience won’t “get” what you’re trying to do. Let’s find something else for you to show and tell “

I already knew what that meant. I’d be stuck taking some rock or mineral. My mom kept a box full of rocks and minerals that we either found during excursions to desert walking trails or at this local museum that sold them by the bag to make sure we’d never run out of teacher approved items for show and tell.

https://youtu.be/tA8wKgRr4JQ?feature=sharedhttps://youtu.be/tA8wKgRr4JQ?feature=shared

This wasn’t the first time my mom thwarted my selected item for show and tell. Previously I tried taking brass knuckles, then a gold coin, then a fishing hook- all items I found going through my grandpa’s house. I swear he had the coolest things.

Anyhow, after that I don’t remember what colorful rock I took instead I just remember I kept thinking how much more entertaining my original idea would have been.

Years later I thanked my mom for continuously editing my ideas that would be shared in a public forum such as a classroom.

Well, that’s my little kid recollection of the event. I’m sure some of you reading this have other memories of where you were when this happened.

Also- do schools even do show and tell anymore?