STUDENTS ADMIRE GODWIN; YOUNG SCIENTISTS FOLLOW `ROLE MODEL'

JACKSON -- Students at astronaut Linda Godwin's alma mater see her success as proof that small-town starts can lead to big-time success.

Weather permitting, shuttle Atlantis, with Godwin aboard, is scheduled to lift off this morning.

Jackson High School students in Ed Seabaugh's advanced-physics class will be closely monitoring the shuttle's progress.

Godwin graduated from Jackson High School in 1970. Seabaugh, who was Godwin's physics teacher when she was a student at Jackson High, is in Florida for the shuttle launch.

"You can do just about anything you want to if you work hard enough," said student Fred Stoverink. "It's very unique that anyone from here goes on to such an important job. I hope everything goes well for her.

"I think science is fascinating, and it's neat that she gets to fulfill her life-long goal."

Godwin graduated in 1974 from Southeast Missouri State University with a degree in physics. She also earned master's and doctorate degrees in physics at the University of Missouri-Columbia. She began working for NASA in 1980 and entered astronaut training in 1985. The Atlantis flight is Godwin's first space mission.

Jackson student Holly Hutscher said, "Big people can come from a little town. She came from Jackson and Oak Ridge, and now the whole nation knows her."

The students believe Godwin actually had an advantage being a Jackson graduate.

Student Nicole Schabbing explained: "A lot of teachers take time to give us extra help. They care. I think our school is one of the best."

Reagan McClellan said: "Mr. Seabaugh is the kind of person who is always there when you need him. He's here at 7 a.m. every morning in case we have questions or need help."

Lori Wendel believes Seabaugh helped Godwin realize her dream.

"He helped her along the way. I think he wants us all to realize our dreams, whatever they might be."

"The first think I saw when I came into chemistry as a sophomore was a picture of Linda Godwin, out of the newspaper, taped to the wall," Stoverink said.

"It's really neat to have someone you kind of know going into space," said Wendel.

"She gives us hope," said Staci Hengst.

Hutscher said, "It doesn't matter where you come from. What counts is how hard you work."

Wendel had nothing but praise for Godwin. "She's a very unique person. She is risking her life. When you think about the Challenger (disaster), you know how much guts it takes for her to go up."

"I think a lot of that determination comes from where she started," added Schabbing.