Louisiana National Guard hosts STEM Summer Camp

By Spc. Quinlan M. Creech, 241st Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

NEW ORLEANS –The Louisiana National Guard hosted the national children’s science technology academies reinforcing basic aviation space exploration program at Jackson Barracks in New Orleans, July 11-15.

Local fifth graders and children of Louisiana Guardsmen spent five days attending the educational, hands-on program learning about science, technology, engineering and math career fields while getting kids comfortable with being around military personnel. The children learned how to create and launch their own rockets, how to fly drones and the science behind making ice cream while integrating mathematics in all their lessons.

Many volunteers for the STARBASE program are also teachers in various schools around the New Orleans community, including Annette Phillips, the director for the STARBASE program at Jackson Barracks.

“Everything that we do can be connected to a real-life career,” Phillips. “Every lesson that we do is connected to a STEM career to say ‘Hey, this isn’t just a subject, this is something you can do.’”

The STARBASE program has over 80 locations around the U.S. and was established in 1999 to ignite passionate students through collaborative learning with STEM experiences to inspire the innovators of tomorrow.