News at St. Catherine's
Hidden Figures Comes Alive at St. Catherine's
Dr. Christine Darden, who was featured in the "Hidden Figures" book, met with St. Catherine's students on Friday.
Dr. Christine Darden allowed a simple formula to guide her life’s journey — P4.
It was a very successful formula as Dr. Darden rose in the ranks of NASA and is among the four women featured in the New York Times bestseller “Hidden Figures.”
Dr. Darden met with fifth graders and then with seventh graders and Upper Schoolers Friday morning. All of the girls in those grades went to see the movie “Hidden Figures” earlier this year. She spent most of her 40-year career in aerodynamics researching sonic booms at NASA. This visit was made possible by Sharon Blount, a member of St. Catherine’s Board of Governors and former St. Catherine’s parent.
Dr. Darden shared with students her journey and how that formula — perceive, plan, prepare and persist — pushed her to pursue her dream of working in a math career. She encouraged the girls to follow a similar formula: perceive yourself in the job you want to do; plan on what you need to do to get there; prepare yourself for the job and persist even if you face challenges and obstacles.
Dr. Darden faced challenges in her career, although she said she benefitted from the women before her at NASA (the ones featured in the movie). She sought promotions and continued to fight when she was told no. She started as one of the “human computers” before emerging as one of NASA's preeminent experts on supersonic flight and sonic booms. Eventually, Dr. Darden became the first African-American woman at NASA's Langley Research Center to be promoted into senior executive service.
Located in the heart of Richmond, Virginia, St. Catherine’s School is a private, all-girls pre-K, kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school. We provide a well-rounded educational experience for girls from communities across Richmond, Chesterfield, Henrico and all of central Virginia. St.Catherine’s all-girls educational experience is rooted in more than a century of history and tradition. From our revolutionary past to our dynamic present, St. Catherine’s has always focused on preparing students for a boundless future.
