It was quickly evident to guests at the Love of Literacy Author Series last Monday evening at the John’s Island Golf Club that retired astronaut and U.S. Navy Capt. Winston Scott, author of “Reflections from Earth Orbit,” still has the “right stuff.”
Now Dean of the College of Aeronautics at Florida Institute of Technology, Scott thoroughly charmed more than 60 attendees at the Literacy Services of Indian River County fundraiser, warmly socializing over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres before sharing how education helped rocket him into space.
The reception was hosted by George and Marlen Higgs, who understand the critical need for Literacy Services’ free tutoring programs.
“It’s sad. What chance do you have for a job if you can’t read and write?” asked George Higgs.
“By working with adults to improve their literacy skills we vastly improve the skills of their children, which is very important. It’s our way of stopping generational illiteracy,” said board chairman Don Mann, before giving a brief history of Scott’s impressive background.
Born in Miami, Scott received a BA in music from Florida State University and a MS in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School.
He logged more than 5,000 hours of flight time as a naval aviator before setting his sights even higher. As a NASA mission specialist for nine days on Endeavour and 16 on Columbia, he made three spacewalks totaling almost 20 hours.
“I came from a family where education was always No. 1,” said Scott, before relating some astronautical adventures.
“Flying in space is the most incredible experience anyone can ever have,” said Scott, who enthralled the audience with stories of launches and experiments aboard the space station. One involved a successful EVA (External Vehicle Activity) capture – by hand – of a 3,000 lb. errant satellite spinning in space. “I was able to do those things because of the education I received and because literacy was so important to us.”
Despite attending limitedly resourced, segregated schools until 10th grade, his parents and dedicated teachers made the most of what they had. His father taught him that to get ahead he had to learn more than was needed. Going that extra mile took Scott all the way to outer space.
“Good literacy skills are fundamental to everything we do,” said Scott. “The reading skills I learned served me well in the space program. And because of what my father taught me, I knew not only what my job was, but those of the others on the team.”
He and wife Marilyn, Professor of Computer Science at FIT, have passed that same advice on to their children. Their daughter is working toward a Master’s degree in public health and their son is an active duty naval aviator aboard the USS Harry S Truman.
A strong advocate of the advancement of science, technology, engineering and mathematics in schools and of a national space program, Scott said, “If we’re no longer pushing for these far-out things, we risk falling behind.”
The audience also heard from Indian River County Fire Rescue Lt. Jesse Gomez, a paramedic and 20-year veteran of the Fire Department, who came to this country from Mexico roughly 30 years ago with a 9th grade education and limited English skills. Through hard work, determination and assistance from committed Literacy Services tutors, he learned the language and rose through the ranks.
Literacy Services has a wait list of students desiring its services and will provide training to anyone interested in becoming a tutor.
