STARBASE Arizona, a War Department educational program, celebrated 20 years of STEAM education outreach at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, Jan. 7, recognizing two decades of service connecting students with science, technology, engineering, arts and math programs.
"Today is a huge milestone for our program," said Kristine Impellizzeri, director, STARBASE Arizona. "Twenty years that Davis-Monthan has allowed this program to have a home, and we are so appreciative of that."
Leaders from 355th Force Support Squadron, principals and superintendents from Arizona school districts, and representatives of the Arizona state government attended the event. Before the ceremony, attendees observed a STARBASE STEAM class in progress.
STARBASE provides students with 25 hours of structured, hands-on STEAM instruction at military bases across the country. The program exposes participants to technological environments and positive civilian and military role models. It allows students the opportunity to interact with military personnel, to explore careers and see real-world applications of STEAM concepts.
"We have experts from the [Davis-Monthan] community who have given hours to brief the kids on their jobs and allow them to ask them directly about what they do," said Impellizzeri. "It is really powerful for the kids to see that in action, and that is our mission, to provide these opportunities to students because if you don't know a career and you don't see it, then you can't be it."
STARBASE Arizona has operated at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base since 2006 and serves students from multiple school districts in the Tucson, Arizona, area.
For more information about STARBASE programs, visit the
program website.