Rita Bauer Wright, KC9CDL, taught math and science for 38 years at District 111 in Burbank, Illinois, USA, where she always encouraged her students to reach for the stars.

Rita wrote educational materials for NASA, so in 1988, she challenged her students to come up with a name for the next space shuttle. Her student projects also included solar-powered cars and robot prototypes for Mars exploration.

But it was on December 21st, 2000, that Rita led 14 elementary school students to make the first school contact by ham radio with the International Space Station.

It took years to coordinate through the ARISS application and ARRL educational proposal processes. Leading up to the set date, the suburban Chicago school was covered with space-themed projects made by kids in all classrooms from kindergarten to eighth grade.

The first attempt was set for December 19th, with Charles Sufana, AJ9N. assisting the contact with Commander William Shepherd, KD5GSL. aboard the ISS. That didn’t go as planned. A successful re-try came two days later. Rita wrote in her post-contact report that:

“At 20:28 UTC, Bill Shepherd and the ISS came up over the horizon for what turned out to be a near direct overhead pass! Charlie and his team made a connection within seconds and continued up to 20:39 UTC.”

All fourteen students chosen to ask questions got their chance. Chicago-area students were greeted by their teachers in the morning, and by the afternoon were welcomed aboard the ISS.

Rita is survived by her loving OM of 68 years, Billy, KC9HRM and a member of the Chicago-area STARS Radio Club. Thanks to president Dennis Calderone KC9DSP for helping Rita keep her license active in recent years, and for sharing her legacy.

Rita Wright became a Silent Key on the 8th of March.