Script for the recording:

As a child growing up in small town Elmira, New York, Eileen Collins always dreamt of one day becoming a pilot. She spent her teenage years reading books about famous pilots, which fueled her curiosity and dedication to her dream. At 16, she began saving for flying lessons with the money earned from her summer jobs.

Though her parents could not afford to give their daughter a college education, Collins was able to earn scholarships, eventually landing an Associates Degree in math and science at Corning Community College.

Encouraged, she worked her way to Air Force Test Pilot School, where NASA selected her for its astronaut program.

Collins has flown on many space shuttle missions. Her first big accomplishment came in February 1995 where she became the first female shuttle pilot on Space Shuttle Discovery. Later she also became the first woman Commander of a U.S. spacecraft when she commanded Space Shuttle Columbia on a mission, launched in July 1999.

What Collins has always had, said her colleagues, is a very clear idea of what she wants, and a talent for getting it.

"Eileen had lots of opportunities before her but the thing that was different was she took advantage of every one of them," says Jerri Truhill, a woman astronaut trainer. "We see her as somebody really special. She even had two children between flights, and that tickles us, too. For every reason they said we couldn't do it, she's proved them wrong."

1. Thanks to {the scholarship she earned}, Eileen finally managed to get an Associate's Degree in {math and science} at Corning Community College.

2. Collins became the first woman space shuttle pilot on {Discovery} in {February 1995}.

3. Collins was not only the first woman astronaut in American history, but she also became the first American woman to {command a spacecraft} in July 1999.