By ROBIN SHANNON

Staff Reporter

GARYVILLE — St. John Parish students were treated Thursday to inspiring stories from a man who knows a thing or two about shooting for the stars.

Former astronaut Charles “Charlie” Bolden paid a visit to three area schools to discuss his travels through space and impose some valuable advice about not giving up on any dreams.

“I’m going to give you guys three pieces of advice that I’m sure you already know, but they are important to remember,” said Bolden to students at Garyville/Mt. Airy Magnet School. “Study hard, work hard and don’t be afraid of failure.”

Bolden, 62, a retired Marine general living in Houston, told the kids he never envisioned being a NASA astronaut but said friend and fellow astronaut Ron McNair goaded him into applying for the program while Bolden was working as a test pilot for the Marines.

“I told him that I would never get picked,” said Bolden. “And he said to me, ‘How do you know if you don’t apply?’ I took him up on it and here I am today. I use that story in my talks with kids to show them that you can not be afraid of a challenge and you can’t let the possibility of failure prevent you from succeeding.”

Bolden told the kids that it is critical to stay focused and receive a well-rounded education that includes math, science and communication.

“Learn to read and read well, learn to write and write well, learn to speak and speak well,” Bolden said. “Learn a foreign language, any language. Communication is key.”

In his 16 years at NASA, Bolden said he made it to space four times on three different shuttles and spent 30 days total in orbit. He said his first mission concluded just 10 days before the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded following liftoff in 1986.

“If anything good came out of that accident it is that we learned how to deal with a situation of that nature,” said Bolden. “We now know the necessary steps to take to avoid similar tragedy.”

Bolden said he was also a crewmember on the Space Shuttle Discovery mission that launched the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit.

“It’s a unique tool that has lasted longer than we ever could have imagined,” said Bolden.

During a brief presentation to students at the school, the kids asked a multitude of questions regarding Bolden’s time in space and some of his favorite things about space flight.

“My answer to that question is always weightlessness and the view of the earth from orbit,” said Bolden. “It all looks so peaceful from above. It makes me wonder sometimes why we can’t do better.”

Bolden said he makes trips to schools as frequently as he can, but not as much as he likes. He said he enjoys motivating the kids to do something worthwhile and meaningful. His talks are rather animated, especially when describing liftoff and some of the many quirks about space flight.

“They always get a kick out of when I discuss going to the bathroom in space,” said Bolden. “That always provides a laugh.”