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STARBASE Robins offers summer fun, education

  • Published
  • By Holly Birchfield
  • 78 ABW/PA
Robins Air Force Base, GA --  STARBASE Robins has programs to help kids have fun and learn about math and science at the same time.

STARBASE is a Department of Defense funded program offered nationwide that enhances science, technology, and math education among younger children.

The program, which boasts 60 STARBASES DOD-wide, began at the Museum of Aviation in 1996.

Wesley Fondal, STARBASE Robins director, said while STARBASE Robins is an Air Force Reserve program, others throughout DOD are funded by active-duty Air Force, Air National Guard, Navy and the Marines.

Mr. Fondal said STARBASE Robins extends schools' education efforts.

"During the school year, we work with the school district," he said. "This STARBASE works with Houston, Twiggs and Bibb counties and we primarily work with the 5th graders during the school year."

Dawn Pannell, a STARBASE Robins program instructor, said the school program puts learning in kids's hands.

"We teach them about Newton's laws and that kind of thing," she said. "We shoot off rockets. We do a lot of hands-on experiments."

Mrs. Pannell said she uses the formula, Dream + Action = Results, to teach kids to reach for their dreams.

Mrs. Pannell said STARBASE Robins targets at risk kids in the 5th grade at Title One Schools, but that could change in the future as Georgia performance standards change.

About 1,500 children come through the STARBASE program each year.

Classes usually run one day a week for five weeks.

The fun doesn't stop with the school year though.

Mr. Fondal said STARBASE Robins' camps are another avenue to help kids learn.

"They're designed to go along with our mission which is actually to try to increase Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, commonly called STEM learning. These academies are geared toward getting kids interested in science and technology," he said. "This year, we're doing pre-engineering as well to get them excited about it and interested in going into those fields."

Mr. Fondal said the program is offering four academies this year, which range from two-day to week-long learning experiences.

Mrs. Pannell said STARBASE ROBINS recently completed its Robotics I camp where about 17 kids built and took home remote control robot kits.

In Robotics II camp, kids build programmable LEGO NXT robots. The kids use the robots to accomplish missions listed on a challenge board and compete against each other in groups.

Danny Depuy, 11, said he most enjoyed building things and launching rockets.

Mr. Fondal said about 36 Northside High School students will get involved in robotics and multimedia through the Robotics II camp this year.

In 'Rocket Science' camp, about 24 kids learned about rocket science in relation to Newton's laws and launched different types of rockets, Mrs. Pannell said.

Mrs. Pannell said STARBASE Robins is offering an engineering camp for the first time.

A Washington D.C.-based instructor will teach 6th to 8th graders how to build products and 3-D objects using the Museum of Aviation's special 3-D printer.

Mr. Fondal said STARBASE Robins' programs are a great way to help kids learn outside of school.