November 1, 2007

Beaumont grad on high-flying team
Tracy Caldwell, member of space shuttle crew, speaks about NASA work
Mona Shadia, Staff Writer

BEAUMONT - She struggled in math in high school, but now holds a Ph.D. in chemistry and is a NASA astronaut.

Tracy Caldwell, who grew up in Beaumont and graduated from Beaumont High School in 1987, gave a speech Thursday to about 100 business people, city leaders and residents at the Four Seasons Lodge.

Caldwell flew on space shuttle Endeavor flight STS-118, a 12-day mission to the international space station in August.

"I have a lot of pride," the 38-year-old Caldwell said of her role in NASA. "I feel like I'm part of an elite group of people. Sometimes, I cannot believe it."

Caldwell said her space shuttle flight was a success.

During the mission, the crew added another truss segment, a new gyroscope and an external spare parts platform to the space station. A new system that allows docked shuttles to draw electrical power from the station was activated.

Endeavor carried 5,000 pounds of equipment and supplies to the station and returned to Earth with 4,000 pounds of hardware, she said.

Caldwell said she started to develop a liking for space while attending Cal State Fullerton.

Math didn't come easy for her until college, when the subject became her friend, she said.

She received a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from the university in 1993 and earned a doctorate from the UC Davis in 1997.

The luncheon was organized by the Beaumont, Banning and Calimesa chambers of commerce.

The audience stood and clapped when an emotional Caldwell was introduced by her high school math teacher, Gary Hakala.

Caldwell told the crowd she hopes to inspire children to pursue their dreams.

"She's such a fantastic role model, and this is a statement to the whole world that great people come from the Pass area," said Banning Councilwoman Barbara Hanna.

Ben Cloninger, a Beaumont resident who owns a financial and insurance services company in Banning, said he was honored to see an astronaut in person.

"She went to the same high school as me," Cloninger said. "This makes her accomplishment that much better that she came from a small town. It shows the kids in our community that you can reach for the stars."