Why did Christa McAuliffe went up in space?

Christa McAuliffe was a high school teacher selected to be the first private citizen in space as part of the NASA Teacher in Space Project. She went up in space to inspire and engage students in STEM education and to bring awareness to the importance of space exploration. Tragically, the Challenger space shuttle carrying McAuliffe and six other astronauts exploded shortly after launch in 1986.