Maxwell AFB celebrates 20th anniversary of Starbase Maxwell

A U.S. Department of Defense youth outreach program — provides STEM opportunities for 5th grade students throughout the River Region.

Starbase Maxwell held an open house Friday to celebrate the program’s 20th anniversary.

The Starbase Maxwell educational program started at Maxwell Air Force Base in 2004 with less than 400 5th grade students. Now the program is up to 4000 5th graders a year.

“The maturity level at the 5th grade level is key. And so they have a maturity level where they can kind of understand the concepts behind the STEM,” said Director Ted Welch.

“It’s really an opportunity for some hands on, fun, experiential science — to encourage them to think about leaning into the science courses as they head into middle school and high school,” said Col. Abigail Frander.

“We talk all the time about kids can’t be it unless they can see it. So the whole notion of giving them opportunities and immerse themselves into what STEM really looks like, apply that learning in a real life context,” said MCS Superintendent Dr. Melvin Brown.

“To me, to us, that’s what real learning looks like.”

Students take one 5-hour class each day for a week — in the areas of Energy and Motion, Engineering and Matter, Electrical and Reactions, Robotics and Coding — and Chemistry.

“They learn about Newton’s Laws of Motion. And then obviously, they get to go out and fire a rocket and see motion in action,” said Welch.

Along with launching a rocket — students also learn how to build a robot. Then learn to execute a mission to send it to Mars.

“And the whole goal for us is to ignite a spark, to get them interested, to peak their curiosity and to think, to embrace STEM.”

Starbase Maxwell is the largest of the 85 Starbases located around the country.