I Realized How Important It Was To

Don't Be Afraid To Reach For The Stars

I Realized How Important It Was To Know Something About Aviation, And It Was Something I Was Interested In, So I Followed My Brother's Footsteps And Obtained My Pilot's License.

Usually, Girls Weren't Encouraged To Go To College And Major In Math And Science. My High School Calculus Teacher, Ms. Paz Jensen, Made Math Appealing And Motivated Me To Continue Studying It In College.

I'll Tell You, Being Involved In Human Space Flight, It Is An Emotional Endeavor. I Think It Brings In The Highest Highs And The Lowest Lows.

I Was Born In 1958, The Same Year Nasa Was Established, Which I Like To Think Of As Not A Coincidence. I Was 11 When They Landed On The Moon, Apollo Eleven. And, Of Course, Everybody In The Whole World Was Watching That. But I Can Tell You, At That Time, Nobody Ever Asked A Girl, 'is That Something You Want To Grow Up And Do?'