Hundreds of students at Coeur d’Alene High School gathered Thursday for a special presentation by former astronaut Scott Kelly, who was invited by the Idaho Humanities Council to deliver its Distinguished Humanities Lecture. Kelly, a veteran of multiple shuttle missions and a year‑long stay aboard the International Space Station, opened with a candid confession that he was not a good student when he was their age.
From classroom challenges to the stars
“What is a little bit unique to my story compared to other astronauts is that when I was your age, I was not a good student,” Kelly told the cheering crowd. He explained that at 18 he read The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe, a book that chronicled America’s early space program and sparked his dream of becoming a fighter pilot. “That spark really inspired me,” he said. “I felt like if I could do better in school, I could maybe fly airplanes in the Navy.”
Kelly’s path to space was built on a series of manageable steps, each grounded in hard work, faith, and a willingness to learn from failure. After earning his pilot’s wings, he flew on several shuttle missions in the early 2000s and later partnered with Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko for a year‑long mission aboard the International Space Station in 2015.
Lessons on perseverance and faith
“Once I figured out how to be a better student, the path to flying in space was a bunch of much more manageable steps,” Kelly explained. “It doesn’t matter where you start – hard work and never ever giving up matter most.” He emphasized that setbacks are not defeats but opportunities to grow, a message that resonated strongly with the students.
When asked about the most exciting part of space travel, a student shouted that weightlessness was the best part, while another mentioned walking in space. Kelly described a spacewalk as “type two” fun – not enjoyable while it’s happening, but rewarding once it’s over.
Personal sacrifices and family
Kelly also spoke candidly about the physical toll of spaceflight. His heart lost about 25% of its mass during his year on the station, though it fully recovered after his return to Earth. He described the readjustment to Earth as overwhelming, noting the flood of new sights, sounds, and smells that can be disorienting after months in micro‑gravity.
He recalled a particularly difficult moment in 2011, when he was in orbit and his sister‑in‑law, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, was shot. “I had to compartmentalize because there was nothing I could do,” Kelly said. “The job of an astronaut while you’re on the space station is like the only job you can’t quit. Maybe you could quit, but you’re not coming home.” He stressed that focusing on what he could control helped him endure that crisis, a practice he continues on the ground.
Hope for the future of exploration
Looking ahead, Kelly expressed optimism that returning to the Moon will eventually lead to missions to Mars. When asked about the possibility of life on other planets, he noted the sheer number of stars and planets in the universe, calling it “naïve to think that there is not life elsewhere,” and left the question open for scientific discovery.
Junior Max Demarre said Kelly’s willingness to discuss aliens was “pretty cool,” and appreciated the astronaut’s openness about his own failures. “I’ve always been told … to work hard, but I could relate to him and trying hard in school, and sometimes you don’t get the results you want,” Demarre reflected.
Encouraging risk‑taking and faith‑filled effort
Kelly concluded by urging students to take risks, trust in God’s guidance, and view setbacks as stepping stones rather than roadblocks. “The things that determine success are usually challenging,” he said. “To accomplish your goals, you must be willing to work hard, pray, and keep moving forward even when you stumble.”
The event highlighted the power of personal testimony, the value of perseverance, and the importance of faith‑centered determination – themes that resonate deeply with the Coeur d’Alene community.
Original reporting: Idaho Education News — read the source article.
