The red and blue lights flashed and sirens sounded. It was an emergency. There was low humidity on the space station and a remedy to the situation had to be determined as soon a possible. Officers from the Wheeling Police Department were there to solve the problem.

Police Chief Kevin Gessler, along with several members of his staff, joined the flight crew at Wheeling Jesuit University's (WJU) Challenger Learning Center (CLC) recently to "Rendezvous with a Comet." Other local government officials who participated in the mission include Wheeling City Manager Bob Herron; Ohio County Circuit Clerk Brenda Miller; O.N.E Wheeling Weed & Seed Executive Director John Rowan and Ohio County Prosecutor Scott Smith.

Gessler said flying the simulated mission to space was a "great experience" for everyone who participated. Gessler added the team-building exercises were not only enjoyable, but offered a unique approach to problem solving. "One of my goals as an administrator has been to build a tightly knit team on whom I can rely to meet the challenges of today's workplace. The Challenger experience was a perfect fit in my plan," Gessler said. "We never quit learning. The Challenger exercise is another realization that learning is fun no matter what age you are. It was a great exercise, especially for this organization where teamwork is critical."

Gessler said the success of the Challenger Learning Center is a reflection of the dedication to provide quality education for students throughout West Virginia. "There is no greater investment than in well-trained personnel. We are fortunate to have programs of this caliber in Wheeling and I would recommend the Challenger Learning Center to any organization seeking progressive training that can be readily applied to the workplace," Gessler said.

During the mission, officials served as astronauts and mission controllers on a daring exploration of comets. Their goal was to successfully plot a course to rendezvous with a comet and launch a probe to collect scientific data on the object. What first seemed to be a routine exploration was sprinkled with a lot of surprises and emergencies giving the crew first-had insight into teamwork and problem solving.