New Stockton charter school named after former NASA astronaut José M. Hernández

The school year began Aug. 10 but the Astronaut José M. Hernández Academy, named after Stockton's own astronaut, was officially dedicated on Wednesday.

The new charter school at 703 E Swain Road will provide grades K-8 with a dual-language immersion STEM-focused curriculum.

“I’m pretty humbled to have it be named after me,” Hernández said. “I’m very thrilled because of the fact that I think it’s going give the students a chance to learn about a kid who from humble beginnings, some of them have beginnings similar to mine, and how they can see through hard work, education and perseverance I was able to succeed."

Hernández served as the mission specialist on the STS-128 mission on the Space Shuttle Discovery which launched in August 2009. The purpose of the mission was to deliver equipment to the International Space Station.

The goal is to establish the school as one known "for academic excellence, where student learning is paramount, a school where every child is challenged to achieve, a safe, vibrant, and welcoming learning environment, a school that the community can be proud to have here," Donita Drulias-Daumer, school principal, said.

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El Concilio California Academies (ECCA), a Stockton-based nonprofit public charter school management company named the school after Hernández.

“You know he’s a hometown hero and there’s not too many schools in the city of Stockton named after Latino role models," José Rodriguez, El Concilio president, and CEO and ECCA board chair, said.

There are two in Stockton but both are named after national figures, he said, listing Dolores Huerta Elementary and Cesar Chavez High School.

The new school is named after someone who is local, Rodriguez said. "So this is really exciting for us to honor José Hernández in this manner and hold him up as a role model to young Hispanics, and to let them know that anything is possible if they’re willing to work hard.”

Hernández said, "Hopefully, it will empower them and gives them the license to dream big and work hard to bring their dreams to reality."

To apply or for more information visit: eccacademies.org

Record reporter Angelaydet Rocha covers community news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at arocha@recordnet.com or on Twitter @AngelaydetRocha. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at recordnet.com/subscribenow. 

This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton charter school is named after former astronaut José M. Hernández