Page 8 - Aerotech News and Review STEM Special Edition – August 2025

8 August 22, 2025 Aerotech News www.aerotechnews.com
Facebook.com/AerotechNewsandReview
Ethan Wagner, Lockheed Martin
In partnership with STARBASE, the Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., 411th Flight Test Squadron hosted 35 students for an opportunity of a lifetime. They were to experience a flight simulator followed by a tour of the F-22 Raptor, the most advanced and sophisticated fighter jet in the world.
STARBASE works to better serve installation and community
By Mary Kozaitis and Chase Kohler
412th Test Wing
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. — A good education is one of the top five quality-of-life challenges for military families. Accessibility to quality education directly impacts the readiness, re- tention and future of our Air Force, especially for remote and isolated installations. If service members are concerned about their chil- dren’s schooling, they cannot focus on our shared mission in this era of Great Power Competition.
During the last few years, lead- ers and Airmen of the 412th Test Wing have worked together to streamline critical roles to bet- ter serve our community. This is particularly focused on supporting students, families and military leaders through the School Liai- son Program and STARBASE at Edwards Air Force Base.
STARBASE is a 25-hour, five hours per weekday, instructional program for fifth grade students funded by the Department of Defense. It provides world class STEM instruction throughout the school year, and it is free of charge.
“At STARBASE Edwards, we provide students with the oppor- tunity to visit military-civilian facilities, engage with STEM com- munity leaders, and explore the STEM field in a fun and engaging way,” said Samantha Duchscherer, STARBASE director.
STARBASE provides on-base STEM education and enrichment to students from eight surround- ing school districts, covering more than 5,200 hundred square miles across the Antelope Valley. STAR-
STARBASE website photo
Students work with computers in STARBASE, a STEM after-school program for 25-hour, five hours per weekday, instructional program for fifth grade students funded by the Department of Defense.
BASE provides community ac- tivities, unique aerospace-focused field trips, clubs, and five-day hands-on STEM camps through- out the year.
“All fifth-grade students in the Muroc School District attend STARBASE for STEM exposure and real-life interaction with mili- tary personnel,” said Dr. Saman- tha Duchscherer, chief of STEM Integration and T3 for the 412th Test Wing. “It targets students in a crucial developmental time in terms of future career trajectory.”
“STARBASE Edwards not only uses a hands-on, minds-on approach to teaching students STEM, but it also focuses on giv- ing students concrete knowledge about STEM careers and how to work towards them,” said Duch- scherer.
STARBASE has roughly 1,200
students across the Antelope Val- ley that attend every year. Facility upgrades within the past year in- clude new laptops, iPads, classroom furniture and projectors. The pro- gram recently received approval to double its student capacity during the next school year, in addition to expanding beyond its traditional fifth grade curriculum to further impact student enrichment.
Since inception, the program continues to receive positive feed- back regarding increased commu- nity events such as STEM fairs, early educational fairs and sum- mer welcome events for families relocating to Edwards. In 2024, STARBASE Edwards also began a new partnership with Southern Kern Unified School District, expanding beyond the Antelope
Valley with an additional 4,000 current students.
The 412th Test Wing also inde- pendently works with the Depart- ment of the Air Force’s Air and Space STEM Outreach office to facilitate hands-on STEM experi- ences across the Southern Cali- fornia community, from Fresno to Long Beach. The recent recipient of a $225,000 grant, the office’s ad- ditional programing allows further impact that boosts the current and future potential of elementary and middle school students.
BELOW: STARBASE students interact with a flight suit in their classroom at Edwards AFB. The program is funded by the De- partment of Defense.
STARBASE website photo