Who is Jose Hernandez? LINK
Jose Hernandez is a husband, father, and engineer who became an astronaut for NASA. He moved from a small village in Mexico with his family when he was a boy to make money as a migrant farm worker in the fields of California. At the age of 10 years old, Hernandez watched the Apollo 17 moon landing and saw Gene Cernan walk on the moon. He found inspiration and wanted to become an astronaut.
Hernandez started as a migrant farm worker, he was able to follow his big dreams which led him to becoming a successful astronaut.
Jose is from Mexico and his family were farmers. –Hassan/ Lapson
He was a poor farm worker. Lukas
Jose Hernandez Moreno is a retired American engineer, businessman and astronaut of Mexican origin. Hernández and his wife Adela have five children: Julio, Karina, Vanessa, Marisol, and Antonio. For several years, his wife ran a Mexican restaurant just outside the Johnson Space Center gates, called Tierra Luna Grill, which is Spanish for Earth Moon Grill. – Carmen
What does he say about success in life?
He says he followed the advice of his mother when he was challenged with negative discrimination. She told him to “kill them with love.” He says “enjoy the journey and work hard”. He is happy to have a life that can be an example and inspiration for others.
He says motivation is important. He says you can do it with hard work. He says you do not succeed by yourself, people will always help you. He says enjoy the journey.
He said that if you have a goal in your life, never give up until you achieve it. Answar Amaya Cruz
Hernandez says that when he was young he knew that they were going to doubt his abilities because he was Mexican and that that didn’t bother him because he followed his mother’s advice, who told him “Kill them with love.” “ The message is that it’s okay to dream big, as long as you are willing to work hard and make that dreams come true.” –Carmen
Where did he come from and how did his family earn money when he was a boy?
He was a boy from Mexico, picking vegetables in the fields. –Brandy Gramajo Gomez
What did he think when he saw the Apollo 17 Moon landing?
He was amazed when he saw apollo 11 – Brandy Gramajo Gomez
That he would work as hard as possible to get that chance to be in space –hk
What is the Definition of Goal Directed Persistence?
- The ability to have a goal, follow through
until the goal is achieved, and avoid
distractions that compete with the goal. - There is often a requirement to sacrifice
short-term wants and interests for the
benefit of accomplishing a long-term
goal of high value. - This is a critical life skill since there are many times when we must be able to put future goals ahead of immediate desires.
How does he show Goal Directed Persistence?
José Hernández was inspired to be an astronaut and be in NASA since he first looked at the United States Apollo mission to the moon when he was 10 years old. When he saw the confidence of an American astronaut going to the moon, it captured his imagination., José Hernández was inspired and said I want to be an astronaut. In order to achieve his goal he had to go through many difficulties. He was never alone, he always had the support of his parents, his wife and children. He tried many times to enter NASA. It was a difficult journey that led to 11 rejections until he was finally able to enter. . Jose Hernandez was persistent with his dream and also aimed to achieve everything he has because of the support his family gave him. – Emely Mejia Franco
He became an astronaut and rode the space shuttle Discovery and docked on the ISS which orbited earth 217 times! – Lukas
Why does his life story give hope to so many people?
It tells the people who say them can’t that they can.
because he was a farmer before but his dream was to be an astronaut and he fought to make his dream come true and it came true. – Brandy Gramajo Gomez
Students at the International Christian School of Vienna , Austria share their thoughts on the story of hope ;
It’s interesting to see that people coming from meek backgrounds have a chance in success. At the age of only 10 years old, Jose Hernandez was a migrant worker. He traveled back and forth from Mexico to California, working in fields to provide for his family. Waking up at 4:30, to begin his gruesome schedule, navigating muddy fields to harvest cucumbers. After witnessing the Apollo 17 moon landing, he was inspired to become an astronaut. He was rejected from the NASA astronaut program 11 times, but he never gave up. Eventually on his 12th try, his application was accepted. Now Jose Hernandez has a farm of his own, as he once said “You can take a boy out of a farm, but you can’t take the farm out of a boy.” He also started the Reaching for the Stars Foundation. Jose inspired thousands and his story continues to motivate people to chase their dreams.
What did he do in space?
He went to the International space station –Madina Sarwari
How does this story motivate you?
It motivates me to seek support –AA
It motivates me to keep going after my dreams, Lapson
What is the American Dream and Promise Act?
Provides a path for citizenship, permanent legal status AA
What about this story might motivate lawmakers to support the American Dream and Promise Act?
What does it mean when we say all people in the United States are equal under the rule of law?
LINK to VIDEO By Anne Hoyt, AARP