MAY 29

John F. Kennedy was the second son born to Joe and Rose Kennedy. "Jack" as he was often called, was very sick as a child, but grew up to be an active young man. He graduated from Harvard in 1940, then served in the Navy during WWII. In 1946, he won a seat in the House of Representatives, then won a seat in the Senate in 1952. In 1953, he married Jacqueline Bouvier. Jack and Jackie had two children, Caroline and John, Jr. In 1960, Kennedy was elected President of the United States, but was sadly assassinated on November 23, 1963, in Dallas, TX.

To learn more about President Kennedy, you can watch the Brainpop about him, and read the Who Was John F. Kennedy? book. His birthplace in Brookline is a National Historic Site in Coolidge Corner. You can grab an ice cream at J.P. Licks, and stroll a few blocks to the house. It's a great (and free) tour that I highly recommend! You can also visit the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, located in Boston.

Sir Edmund Hillary was born on July 20, 1919, in Auckland, New Zealand. At the age of 16, he became interested in climbing, and summited his first mountain in 1939. Hillary then served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force during WWII. After the War, he continued to climb, reaching New Zealand's highest peak in 1948. He unsuccessfully attempted to climb Mt. Everest in 1951. Two years later, he and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit together. Hillary was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, and also received the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. The King of Nepal presented him with the Order of the Star of Nepal.

Hillary continued to explore, reaching the South Pole in 1958. In 1985, he joined Neil Armstrong, American astronaut and first man on the moon, on a flight. They landed at the North Pole, making Hillary the first person to have scaled Everest and reached both Poles. He died on January 11, 2008, at the age of 88.

Tenzing Norgay was born on May 29, 1914 (happy birthday!), in Nepal. At the age of 20, he joined a British Mount Everest Expedition that did not reach the summit. They tried again in 1936, and again in 1947. In the 1953 attempt, Norgay saved Hillary's life by catching him from a fall. A strong bond was instantly built. They were on a larger expedition team, but only the two of them reached the summit. Norgay received two medals from Queen Elizabeth, the George Medal and the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. The King of Nepal presented him with the Order of the Star of Nepal. He died on May 9, 1986, at the age of 71.

If you ever fly into Lukla, Nepal, you will land at the Tenzing-Hillary Airport.

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