Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) welcomed Astronaut Jose Hernandez to Bellflower Middle School and thanked him for accepting her invitation to speak to students in Bellflower and elsewhere throughout her congressional district.  After the congresswoman introduced Astronaut Hernandez to the assembly of more than a thousand students, he talked about his background and what he experienced in space. He also answered questions from students in the audience.

During the congresswoman’s introduction of Mr. Hernandez, the congresswoman said to the students: “Now is the time to begin thinking about your future and the dream you’re going to make come true for you.  As you start exploring the possibilities now and in the years ahead there may be people in your life who may try to discourage you and make you feel bad about yourself.  They may even tell you you’re not smart enough to succeed.  If ever that happens, always remember nothing could be further from the truth.  The fact is each and every one of you is special with unique talents and abilities.  It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, or what color your skin is, the potential for your future is unlimited.  Just stay in school, study hard, and never give up your dream.  Today we have with us someone who never gave up his dream even though he was rejected many times.  I’ve invited him to be our guest speaker today to tell you his personal story and to expand your imagination into a world of possibilities you may never have dreamed of.  Our speaker today is NASA Astronaut Jose Hernandez.” 

That same day, Mr. Hernandez also shared his experiences with students at Nimitz Middle School in Huntington Park and community members and local leaders at Downey’s Columbia Memorial Space Center, both located in the 34th Congressional District.

Mr. Hernandez is the 13th astronaut of Latino descent to travel into space. He is also the first astronaut to tweet from space in English and Spanish. 

Raised in Stockton, California, his parents immigrated to the United States from Mexico with only a third grade education.  Beginning at age 6, he spent months on end working in the fields with his family as they followed the crops throughout California.  He did not learn to speak English until he was 12 years old, but he learned early in life he had an interest in math and science.   

Following his dream to be an astronaut, he studied hard and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California.  With the help of a full scholarship, he later attended the University of California at Santa Barbara and earned a Masters degree also in Electrical Engineering. 

After receiving his Masters degree, Astronaut Hernandez worked at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California for 13 years.  While there, he co-developed an X-ray film imaging analysis technique that enables doctors to make earlier and improved diagnoses of breast cancer.

In 2001, NASA hired him as an engineer.  As he moved up the ranks of the space agency he never gave up his dream of becoming an astronaut.  Finally, in 2004 after 12 years of trying, he was selected as an Astronaut Candidate, becoming one of only 13 Latinos ever to participate in the NASA Career Astronaut Program. 

Following 2 years of training, he received his first assignment supporting launch and landing preparations at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.  His dream to go into space came true at the age 47 when he took his first mission into space aboard the space shuttle Discovery.  During his mission to the International Space Station, he served as the flight engineer, assisting in the take-off and landing of the Discovery Shuttle.  

During his time in space, he and the crew conducted three space walks and traveled over 5.7 million miles in 332 hours and 53 minutes before returning to earth at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

Pictured in the photo from left to right: Bellflower Unified School District Superintendent Rick Kemppainen; Director  of Assessment and Evaluation Charlene Bowden; Assistant Principal Mike Lundgren; Congresswoman Roybal-Allard (CA-34); Assistant Principal Lana Van Beek; NASA Astronaut Jose Hernandez; Assistant Superintendent Lisa Azevedo; Director Student Support Services Cari Ignarra; and Director of Curriculum and Instruction Tracy Rutkoski.