As part of the September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden visited students at the Davis Elementary School in Washington on Friday. Bolden, along with Principal Joyce Thompson, Youth Service America President Steve Culbertson and Scott Richardson of Learn and Serve America, encouraged the students to focus their educations on math and science.

Bolden stressed how important education is in every aspect of space travel, as well as in our daily lives. As part of the visit, NASA donated science-related education materials to each participating student and brought science, technology, engineering and math curricula for teachers. Scholastic Books also donated a non-fiction book about the Wright Brothers and early flight to all 120 students who took part in Friday’s event. Bolden and one of the students read aloud from the book to the audience.

Bolden also answered questions from this excited audience of young people. He gave demonstrations of how the space shuttle launches into space and lands. He discussed how he came to be the NASA Administrator. He chatted with the students about serving in the military and being an astronaut. And he explained to the students that his parents, who were educators, encouraged him to study math and science at an early age.

In April, President Obama signed the Serve America Act, which officially recognizes Sept. 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance. President Obama has asked Americans to recommit to uniting in the service of our communities to honor of the heroes of Sept. 11, on this anniversary and in the days, weeks and months ahead. Bolden encouraged the students to use this day to serve their school and community.