Becoming an astronaut is a complex process, but then some people need a challenge. Take Jose Hernandez for example. In his book, Reaching for the Stars there are a couple of reoccurring themes. The first is the value he places on family, and in particular his parents. The second is the importance of education; he is an alumni of the University of the Pacific and speaks three languages.
Despite being rejected by NASA eight times he never lost sight of his dream to become an astronaut. His faith provided him with a coping strategy and he mentions the importance of mentoring during his developmental years. Prior to his career at NASA he spent fourteen years working as an engineer at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. It was on August 28, 2009 that he flew a fifteen day mission to the International Space Station on the shuttle Discovery as a flight engineer.
Adversary defines character and Jose Hernandez's story is similar to Ben Carson's. Both started out as disadvantaged minorities but managed to thrive through hard work and perseverance. The book is an appropriate gift for high school graduates and there is also a Spanish edition available. Information on the foundation that Jose Hernandez established is online at www.astrojh.com.
Dave Baker works at Baker Book House in Grand Rapids, MI where he is responsible for school accounts and diversity initiatives. At home he is married with four children.