A True Space Cadet

Billy Specht was 10 years old when he went out in his backyard and watched the first space shuttle launch into space. His childhood home was 100 miles away from the Kennedy Space Center, but when a rocket leaves the Earth, 100 miles might as well be 100 feet.

Not only is he still watching shuttle launches, for the past decade at least, he's found a way to make a living while doing it. As general manager of education and the Astronaut Hall of Fame for Delaware North at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Billy helps others to see and appreciate the wonder of space exploration.

"We tend to forget how special a place this is. There is nothing like it anywhere else in the world," he says.

A certified teacher for kindergarten through sixth grade, Billy has always found himself outside of a traditional classroom setting, but teaching nonetheless. Before joining the staff of the visitor complex, he handled education programs for Sea World in Orlando. A big kid at heart? "I know I am," he says.

Yet, this is more than child's play. Billy's dual passion for education and the space program have led to remarkable strides for the property's education programs, which were virtually non-existent before he arrived.