Celebrated NASA Astronaut Gives Special Presentation to San Angelo ISD 5th Graders

Earlier this month, almost 1,000 San Angelo ISD fifth-grade students attended a special presentation by Dr. Jose Hernandez, a celebrated astronaut and the first immigrant farmer to journey into space. This engaging educational opportunity was presented in partnership with the Hispanic Heritage Museum and Cultural Center as part of Hispanic Heritage Month. 

“Dr. Hernandez is a real person with an extraordinary story of perseverance,” said SAISD Superintendent Dr. Christopher Moran. “His story inspires us to dream big, make a plan to get there and then outwork everyone else to realize the dream. I saw eyes light up and about 1,000 5th graders come to life hearing his story.” 

Dr. Hernandez’s presentation is designed to inspire and educate young students about space exploration, perseverance and the value of cultural heritage. His firsthand account of his remarkable journey and achievements aims to ignite curiosity and motivate students to follow their hopes and dreams. 

“I think it’s very important you understand that with an education and hard work anything is possible,” Dr. Hernandez told the fifth graders. “You can achieve just about anything in the world. You just have to make that commitment to yourself and say, ‘this is what I want to do.’” 

Dr. Hernandez spoke to students about his dream of becoming a NASA astronaut and the struggles he encountered while trying to achieve his dream. He explained how his father’s “recipe for success” helped guide him through the many years of learning, growing, education and experience he needed to get accepted into the 19th Class of NASA Astronauts.

Dr. Hernandez’s Father’s Recipe for Success:

• “Define your goal
• Recognize how far you are from it
• Create a roadmap to get there
• Education is key
• Develop a strong work ethic
• Persevere, never give up!”

Dr. Hernandez told the fifth-graders about his first job out of graduate school, at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, helping to develop an x-ray laser that would be used in space. After working at the laboratory for five years, he submitted his first application to become a NASA Astronaut and received his first rejection letter – the closing sentence invited him to reapply to the program. Another five years and five more rejection letters would come along before Dr. Hernandez would almost give up on his dream. He said his wife, Adela Hernandez, challenged him to keep pursuing his dream. She reminded him about the invitation to reapply to the program and told him, “What I do know is that if you don’t reapply, you won’t get selected … And if you don’t apply, you’re going to always have that little worm of curiosity, ‘what if?’ So you better think about it. I don’t know what they have that you don’t.”

Dr. Hernandez said after thinking about her comment, he evaluated what credentials he lacked compared to the individuals who were previously accepted into the Astronaut Candidate Training Program. He noticed the candidates were pilots so he obtained his pilot’s license. He saw the candidates were certified SCUBA divers so he became SCUBA diving certified as well. 

Dr. Hernandez’s perseverance and determination eventually took him on a five-year assignment to the Siberian region of Russia. Over the course of 25 trips to Russia and five years of language study, Dr. Hernandez learned how to speak Russian. “I put that on my resume, and guess what?” Dr. Hernandez said. “NASA paid attention, and they invited me to be part of the 19th class of NASA Astronauts, after the 12th try! NASA said, ‘No,’ 11 times!” 

According to www.NASA.gov, “Since inception, NASA has selected 360 astronaut candidates: 299 men, 61 women; 212 military, 138 civilians; 191 pilots, 159 non-pilots.” Thousands of people apply yearly to the Astronaut Candidate training program. In recent years, astronauts have been selected into the Astronaut Candidate Program approximately every four years. From those thousands, only a few are chosen for the intensive training program.

“We are honored to collaborate with San Angelo Independent School District to offer this extraordinary experience to our local students,” said Suzanna Valenzuela, Vice-President of the San Angelo Hispanic Heritage Museum. “Dr. Hernandez’s story of overcoming obstacles and achieving great heights in the field of space exploration will undoubtedly serve as a powerful inspiration for our young learners. It’s a wonderful way to kick off our Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations and foster a deeper connection to the values of perseverance and excellence.”

SAISD is proud to partner with the Hispanic Heritage Museum and Cultural Center to provide our students with this unique opportunity to learn from a prominent figure in space science and understand the impact of contributions from individuals of diverse backgrounds.

“I am thankful for heroes like Dr. Hernandez and for the Hispanic Heritage Museum and Cultural Center for the opportunity to bring our kids together,” said Dr. Moran. “Every student deserves a fair chance to make something of themselves in this world.” 

Following his presentation to SAISD fifth-graders, Dr. Hernandez gave the keynote speech at the San Angelo Hispanic Heritage Month Banquet. The annual banquet celebrates Hispanic culture and achievements, featuring cultural performances and awards honoring outstanding individuals and organizations within the community. Also during the banquet, two San Angelo ISD Difference Makers received prestigious awards from the San Angelo Hispanic Heritage Committee. You can read more about the awards here. 

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About San Angelo Hispanic Heritage Museum 

The San Angelo Hispanic Heritage Museum is dedicated to celebrating and preserving Hispanic culture and heritage in the Concho Valley. Through educational programs, cultural events, and community engagement, the museum aims to promote a deeper understanding and appreciation of the rich traditions and contributions of the Hispanic community.