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STEMming interest: Starbase program fosters young minds

  • Published
  • By Kimberly Woodruff
  • Staff Writer
With more dependence on technology, today's young people need a solid foundation of science, technology, engineering and math.

In efforts to increase STEM interest, the Department of Defense funds the Starbase program for fifth grade elementary children.

One of the requirements to receive the funding is that the program must be held on a military base, so the Tinker Youth Center offered up a classroom to make it happen here.

"We are very happy to be a part of the Starbase program," said Mindy Whittington, director of Tinker Youth Center. "Whatever we can do to help mold young minds and put them on a path of education -- we are all for it. The DOD has jobs in a variety of STEM fields, so these students could potentially come to work for the DOD someday."

Col. Stephanie Wilson, 72nd Air Base Wing and Tinker installation commander, agrees and is very supportive of Starbase working with the youth at Tinker AFB.

"Starbase is a phenomenal program that gives students the opportunity to discover their potential in science, technology, engineering and math with hands-on learning that ignites their interest," she said. "It is exciting to see these future leaders making connections at this point in their young lives. They have no idea the important role that they can play in the future of national security."

Students from Del City, Choctaw, Nicoma Park and Oklahoma City schools -- along with some homeschoolers -- are bussed to the youth center for half-day classes one day a week for five weeks. Topics such as nanotechnology, green transportation, alternate energy and aquaculture are just a few subjects the children can actively participate in and practice problem solving. 

The main purpose of the Starbase program is to ignite the interest of youth in STEM through active participation and problem solving. The program helps students with goal-setting and making positive life choices.

Starbase Oklahoma has been illustrating how math and science connect to the aerospace industry since 1993.

"By exploring different subjects and problem solving, students have a chance of picking an exciting career -- maybe even right here at Tinker," said Whittington.