Charles “Pete” Conrad

Charles “Pete” Conrad, commander of the second mission to the moon, Apollo 12, was one of the first people to set foot on the moon. A graduate of Princeton University with a degree in aeronautical engineering, Conrad was confident in subjects like math and science growing up. His dyslexia, though, made reading and writing difficult for most of his education. He struggled through a private school until 11th grade, when he was expelled because of his failing exam grades. At the time, Conrad’s teachers thought him to be lazy, unaware of his dyslexia. Knowing her son wasn’t unintelligent, Conrad’s mother became his advocate after his expulsion, communicating with his new school to create learning approaches that worked for Conrad’s learning styles. Though he had to repeat 11th grade at his new school, he soon thrived in the new environment with the proper assistance and accommodations for his dyslexia. With the help he received during his last two years of high school, Conrad was able to get accepted into Princeton University, and eventually become one of the first American astronauts sent into space.