ASTRONAUT RETURNS ITEMS FLOWN IN SPACE

League City – NASA Astronaut Gregory H. Johnson visited five CCISD schools on Tuesday, October 4, 2011 to return items he flew in space and to share with students his experience as the pilot of STS-134.

Johnson wowed students at Hyde and Mossman Elementary Schools, Bayside Intermediate and Clear Creek and Clear Falls High Schools. The retired Air Force Colonel showed a video that let students see first-hand how 12 astronauts worked together on board the International Space Station. Images included spacewalks, exercise and dinner in zero gravity.

Students say they were inspired by the presentation. A Clear Falls High School student told his principal, “I’m going to be an astronaut.”  Johnson presented Clear Falls Principal Karen Engle and Superintendent Greg Smith with the banner he flew for the school in space.  

Bayside Intermediate Principal Jamey Majewski was also thrilled to get back his school’s banner that flew in space. Johnson also returned a school T-shirt to Mossman Elementary Principal Stephanie McBride, and an American flag was presented to Clear Creek High School Principal Scott Bockart. Hyde Elementary Principal Kelly Chapman thanked Johnson for a photo montage of the STS-134 mission that included a crew patch and a small American flag also flown on board the shuttle Endeavour on its last flight to space.