STARBASE Wisconsin seeks to build on early success

By 1st Sgt. Vaughn R. Larson

Wisconsin National Guard

Two months after the first class of Milwaukee fifth-grade students entered a hands-on environment for science, technology, engineering and math, officials cut the ribbon for the Department of Defense-funded education initiative, STARBASE Wisconsin.

Administered by the Wisconsin Air National Guard and based at the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Milwaukee, STARBASE Wisconsin provides 25 hours of interactive learning over the course of five weeks. Dr. Charisse Sekyi (pronounced SAYchee), STARBASE Wisconsin director, said the academic outreach program has exceeded her expectations.

"The activities are so engaging," Sekyi said. "It's such a rich curriculum, but it's very rigorous so there's some work that we have to do to meet the kids where they are and bring them up to where the curriculum is."

STARBASE is an acronym for Science and Technology Academies Reinforcing Basic Aviation and Space Exploration. The program began in Michigan - a collaboration between an elementary teacher and the Michigan National Guard - and was adopted by the Department of Defense to address the need to raise the interest and improve student knowledge and skill in science, technology, engineering and math. Sekyi said teachers and school principals have told her that no similar program is offered in Milwaukee schools.

"A lot of elementary science education is not hands-on - it's paper-pencil-book," she said. "To be able to bring this level of activity down to the elementary level is really phenomenal."

Reginald Lawrence of the Milwaukee Public School system said the district is excited to be part of STARBASE Wisconsin.

"In school, kids don't always get a chance to do hands-on activity," Lawrence explained. "This is going to be a great opportunity for them to experience science, technology, engineering and math in a fun, hands-on way."

Mary Staton, MPS science curriculum specialist, agreed.

"We in science education plan a curriculum from the textbook, identify the work that students will do in science, but one of the biggest pieces is having a community to support that work," Staton said. "The curriculum runs directly with the work we're doing in science. Our fifth-graders will be able to build on those concepts through STARBASE. They'll also be able to have an application of the science, which is sometimes something we miss in our classroom. We can do it here at STARBASE."

Brig. Gen. John McCoy, commander of the Wisconsin Air National Guard, said STARBASE Wisconsin has enjoyed early success.

"The buzz in the room when they're here is just so exciting to watch," McCoy said. "To actually be able to talk about something and then step aside and actually do it and see the results … that's what this is all about."

Maj. Gen. Don Dunbar, adjutant general of Wisconsin, joked that the purpose of this program was not to recruit fifth graders into the military. However, he noted that many people seeking to enter the Wisconsin National Guard today lack the skills and knowledge required, relaying that one of the program's goals is to help fire the imagination of young students and help them develop technical skills for civilian and military opportunities.

"Our standards are incredibly high," Dunbar said. "If you wear this uniform, you have to be somebody special. So a chance for us to do something in partnership with the Milwaukee School District and in partnership with the community here in Milwaukee, and we're very excited about it.

"We won't solve all the problems with this little class," Dunbar continued, but we're going to solve some."

Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch echoed Dunbar's sentiments.

"Wisconsin's economy is based on the bright young minds that we are raising up through programs like STARBASE," she said. "What you are doing here is raising our next generation of manufacturing leaders as well as military leaders. What you are doing here is assuring that Wisconsin's economy and the protection of our United States of America and the great state of Wisconsin will continue in the hands of today's youngsters." 

Students learn basic robotics programming, Newton's laws of motion, molecules, mapping and navigation with GPS, conduct physics experiments, work with 3-D computer-aided design software, and interact with civilian and military professionals. Since opening in April, STARBASE Wisconsin has worked with 146 students from seven schools. They will serve 1,500 students annually beginning this fall - a significant portion of the estimated 5,000 fifth-grade students in MPS. In addition, STARBASE Wisconsin's location puts the program in proximity to 17 elementary schools.

"We're a small program, but we have a huge mission," Sekyi said, "to motivate, inspire and nurture the intellectual capacity of our national treasure - our youth, Milwaukee's future innovators."

Areial Dubai, STARBASE Wisconsin office manager, said the program has made a positive impact on students.

"They love STARBASE - there's nothing boring about it," she said. "The teachers have said that kids who miss school never miss the day they have to go to STARBASE. They also get to school on time the day they have to go to STARBASE. The kids, to me, are little pieces of success."

Wisconsin Air Guard helps Milwaukee youth get excited about education

By Tech. Sgt. Jon LaDue

Wisconsin National Guard

The Wisconsin Air National Guard is helping Milwaukee students soar to new heights as part of a Department of Defense-sponsored program dubbed STARBASE - which aims at improving students skills and experience in science, technology, engineering and math. 

 

STARBASE Wisconsin, which serves Milwaukee's public and nonpublic schools, joins more than 30 states working to inspire and motivate students for careers in engineering and other science-related fields of study.

"Fifth grade is the first vulnerable point, from all the statistics, where children decide if they want to stay in school," said Col. John Puttre, STARBASE Wisconsin program manager. "It's just a fantastic opportunity for students to get excited about learning."

Students are taught through "hand-on, minds-on" training in a variety of topics - physics and chemistry, technology and engineering, and mathematics operation and applications. Throughout the 5-day program, the students learn core objectives through experiments, practical exercises and knowledge based learning that is aimed at being fun and educational.

One student summed it up when she said, "That's the hardest class I've ever taken, but I loved it."

In its first round of classes, the STARBASE Wisconsin program graduated more than 60 5th grade students from three Milwaukee schools - St. Marcus Lutheran School, Emmaus Lutheran School and Washington DuBois Christian Leadership Academy. The second group of classes includes students from Milwaukee's public school system.

Puttre has been working with other Wisconsin Guard leaders for more than a year to get the program up and running. He was more than pleased to speak to the first graduating class.

"Whatever it is you want to do in life - you know, after this, you can do it," he said. "You just have to put in a little effort and take small steps, and you can make or build whatever you want ... even your dreams."

The STARBASE Wisconsin staff is comprised of a director, two instructors and an administrative assistant, all of which are federally funded state employees or contract personnel. The program's director, Dr. Charisse Sekyi feels the sky is the limit for STARBASE Wisconsin students.

"We are so proud of the work that you have done while you are here. Looking at your faces while you worked in your teams and did experiments made all the hard work that it took to get this program up and running worthwhile," she said.

A recent evaluation study found that STARBASE students were exposed to sophisticated technology and through their exposure to the program helped them to greater understand the application of physics, computers and mathematics. These tangible metrics were also found to enhance the students' self-esteem and confidence, as well as their attitudes toward science and math, according to the study.

"That whole problem solving process ... is really pretty cool and we use it all the time," said Brig. Gen. John McCoy, commander of the Wisconsin Air National Guard, to the first graduating class. "So we want to make sure that you get through this program and maintain an interest in all of those things related to science, engineering and math."

The Wisconsin Air National Guard is currently in the process of hiring two additional instructors which would double the number of participants each year from 750 to 1,500 5th graders.

STARBASE-Atlantis Summer Program is Water-Cooled

By Ed Barker, Naval Education and Training Command Public Affairs

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PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- Veterans of the Navy's Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) program, STARBASE-Atlantis, were offered advanced challenges by attending the level two program at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola July 25-28 and Aug. 1-4.

"Level two offers open enrollment for kids that have already completed their initial training at STARBASE with their school, or during the summer," said Donna Eichling, director of the STARBASE-Atlantis program at NAS Pensacola. "It builds on the same STEM fundamentals, but changes the concentration from air and aerodynamics to water and hydrodynamics. We also include navigation and mapping, plus the tours are expanded to include the Air Traffic Control School."

Classroom projects for level two include designing and testing a mini-submarine that can descend and resurface under its own power. The kids also return to rocket building, but this time their rocket is powered by air and water instead of a rocket motor.

"The challenges we give the kids in level two are similar to their first outing, but they are given a lot more latitude in design and construction," said Greg Adams, Starbase instructor. "They have over twenty construction materials to choose from in building their submarine. We tell them what it should do in the water, but not how to design or build it."

The summer program's open enrollment attracts students that might not otherwise have a chance to attend STARBASE-Atlantis. Avionics Electrical Technician 1st Class Paul Lee, a Coast Guard instructor at the Naval Air Technical Training Center, watched his son test his completed submarine.

"We home-school our kids, and STARBASE gives them an excellent opportunity to get hands-on experience in science and math in a classroom situation," said Lee. "Our daughter thought science was hard before attending STARBASE last summer. Now it's one of her favorite subjects. From what I've seen today with the submarine competition, I'm sure my son feels the same way."

Pearl Harbor Starbase Atlantis Launches 5th Graders to Success

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Mark Logico, Commander Navy Region Hawaii Public Affairs

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (NNS) -- Twenty-eight 5th grade students from Pearl Harbor Kai Elementary celebrated their graduation from the Strobes Atlantis program with a rocket launching aboard Ford Island, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH), Feb. 8.

"It's a celebration of the fact that we've been working with 5th grade students for 17 years, and we've achieved 100,000 students," said Joseph Barrett, Starbase Atlantis Pearl Harbor director. "That's introducing them to STEM subjects: science, technology, engineering and math. We hope that we've encouraged them to go on and get careers in those subjects."

The Pearl Harbor learning site contributed to more than 7,000 graduates of the 100,000 total. Pearl Harbor Kai is one of two pilot schools that started during the spring of 2002.

Andre Roberts, age 11, was one of the students who graduated from the program and successfully launched his rocket.

"My favorite part of the program was building the rocket and doing the flight simulator," said Roberts.

Starbase Atlantis is the U.S. Navy's portion of the Department of Defense-sponsored Starbase Program, an educational program focusing primarily on 5th grade students from local communities to motivate them in science-related fields. The program helps develop positive self-esteem, teaches goal-setting skills and encourages teamwork through hands-on activities.

"It's important to show the children what their engineering and technical learning can result in," said Lt. Cmdr. Joe Lyon, deputy director of Naval Submarine Training Center Pacific (NSTC PAC).

NSTC PAC is the host command for the Starbase Atlantis Pearl Harbor program, providing instructors and guided tours of the submarine facility to the students.

"We have some of the finest Sailors in the fleet; very technologically savvy and successful," said Lyon. "It's good to give the Sailors the opportunity to help the kids and give back to the community and for the kids to see what it's like to be an outstanding role model."

For more news from Commander, Navy Region Hawaii, visit www.navy.mil/local/cnrh/.

100,000 5th Grade Students Graduate STARBASE-Atlantis

By Ed Barker, Naval Education and Training Command Public Affairs

PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- After 16 years of inspiring fifth-graders in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), the Navy's STARBASE-Atlantis program graduated its 100,000th student Feb. 8, on board Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola.

Jalen Hunt, who goes by the call-sign 'Gator,' was the milestone graduate, and launched a special '100K' model rocket with a blue and gold paint scheme to signify the event. Hunt and Ernie Gonzales, the Department of Defense's Starbase program manager, pressed the launch button together, sending the rocket flying skyward.

"That was really awesome," said Hunt, age 10, a student at Jim Allen Elementary School. "They teach us a lot about science, technology and rockets, but we get to have fun at the same time."

Marking this historic moment with area children and educators, Gonzales had nothing but praise for the students.

"It was an honor to share this moment with Gator," said Gonzales. "The STARBASE-Atlantis kids are very inspiring; these could be our future Nobel Prize winners in science and math."

The first Navy STARBASE academy was launched in September 1994 at NAS Pensacola, and began offering local fifth-grade students an opportunity to participate in a variety of learning experiences designed to increase knowledge and interest in STEM subjects. The program has since expanded throughout the Navy.

Interest from the highest levels of the Navy has been one key to the success of the STARBASE-Atlantis program. The Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, was not able to make it to Pensacola for the ceremony, but he sent along his congratulations to the kids, noting the significance of the program.

"It's important that we do everything possible to inspire these young students to study Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, as they are our future," said Mabus. "Not only is STARBASE-Atlantis a lot of fun, but whether they know it or not, these kids are learning about physics, math, engineering, and aerodynamics as they work toward launching their rockets on graduation day. Graduating 100,000 students is an incredible milestone."

Success wasn't guaranteed for the program, which started off on a shoestring budget and without a permanent home.

"This milestone reflects the successful partnership between the Navy and the community to help the students who need it most," said Henry Giles, the Navy's STARBASE-Atlantis and community outreach program manager at the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC). "Watching the program grow has been extremely gratifying. We started as single site that shared space with the base chapel, and have grown into 15 sites with academies on nearly every major Naval Base in the U.S."

"I think these kids are a testimony to science and math being fun," said Malcolm Thomas, Escambia County school superintendent, and one of the dignitaries attending the ceremony. "It gives the students something to look forward to; that makes learning fun and that's the name of the game."

The STARBASE-Atlantis curriculum includes physics, chemistry, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Course topics include Newton's laws of motion, fluid mechanics and aerodynamics, model rocketry and much more. Students 'fly' aircraft on a computer flight simulator, as well as build and launch a model rocket as the final project for the course. Tours of Navy training facilities, as well as the National Naval Aviation Museum and the Blue Angels flight line, allow the students to see the STEM subjects they are learning in the classroom applied directly in the real world.

STARBASE partners with local area schools at each site, rotating class attendance throughout the school year. Kids from schools that are not in rotation for a particular year can get the STARBASE experience by applying to attend one of several weeklong sessions during the summer break.

Operated by each of the armed services, there are more than 60 Starbase programs throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico, funded by the Department of Defense through Congressional appropriation since 1989. For more information on the 15 Navy STARBASE-Atlantis programs, visit: https://www.netc.navy.mil/comunity/starbase/sa.html

For more news from Naval Education and Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/cnet/.