Dominican Republic RPCV Joe Acaba to be Next Teacher in Space
NASA: Local Man to be Next Teacher in Space
5/6/2004
By Mike Price, Marion County Bureau Reporter
More than a thousand people at Dunnellon Middle School didn't even get to hear Joe Acaba's name over a live NASA video feed. The cheers from the crowd drowned out the announcement -- their teacher is now an astronaut.
"That's the news!!" Yelled Jordyn Sthay -- a student of Acaba's. "If we're not doing something, all we're talking about is Mr. Acaba and what he's gonna be doing and hopefully he'll say our name on TV or something like that!!"
Family and friends say the 36-year-old is a natural choice. He's spent time in the peace corps, marines and -- whether bungee-jumping, scuba diving, or a letting martial artist cut a potato in half with a sword on his stomach -- he is a full-time thrill seeker.
"He likes doing exciting stuff," says Acaba's daughter -- also a DMS student -- Leigh Wilson. "He likes doing whatever makes him feel...free."
"Mr. Acaba -- having lived in different countries and having experienced these different things -- provides that connection between what's out there and what's in the classroom," says Dunnellon Middle School Principal Juan Cordova. "And it makes it real for the students."
Born in Inglewood California, Acaba spent his life dreaming about going to space. Now, he hopes he can still teach while he's away from school -- by example.
"Other than to be the first to go to Mars -- which is what I want to do -- I just hope to inspire as many kids as I can," Acaba says. "(And) to get the public as excited about the program as possible and let them know it has value."
Acaba will now train for the next three to five years before making his flight into space.
"We're sad for our loss," says Cordova. "But our loss is everyone else's gain."
Mike Price can be reached at mprice@wcjb.com.
