Homer Hickam has an impressive résumé. He served in the Army in Vietnam, where he won a Bronze Star and rose to the rank of Captain. Later, he fulfilled his lifetime ambition to be an aerospace engineer with NASA. He has written over 15 books. One of his books was turned into a popular movie. His most celebrated book is Rocket Boys, also known as October Sky. It tells the story of the humble beginnings of Hickam, who grew up in the small town of Coalwood, West Virginia.

Homer and several of his friends developed an interest in rocketry. From developing rockets for the science fair, Homer began to dream of working for NASA. How did this small-town boy accomplish so much? Homer gives a lot of the credit to his high school science teacher, Frieda Riley, who was demanding, fair, and encouraging. She encouraged her students while she, herself, was fighting cancer. Riley died at the age of 32. We could all use a teacher like Miss Riley. We could all use an encourager like Miss Riley.