State subgrant saves Nevada National Guard school STEM program STARBASE — for now
Students from Nevada’s first Department of Defense (DoD) STARBASE program get a tour of a C-130 aircraft March 16, 2022 at the Nevada Air National Guard Base in Reno, Nev.
Created in 1991, STARBASE’s primary focus is to foster a passion of learning in the field of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in fifth graders attending Title 1 schools.
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CARSON CITY – STARBASE, the Nevada National Guard’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learning program for Title 1 schools, will remain open for nine months thanks to a subgrant through the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR).
But funding past Sept. 30 (the end of the federal fiscal year) for its two locations in Henderson and Reno remains unknown as a $40 million Congressional budget shortfall forced the closure of more than 50 Department of Defense STARBASE locations around the country last week. Without assistance from the state, the Nevada National Guard’s STARBASE programs at the Henderson Armory in Clark County and the Nevada Air National Guard Base in Washoe County would have shut their doors in February.
“We were all completely shocked by the news that we might have to shut down operations in one week,” said Ellen Dunn, director, STARBASE Henderson. “We serve more than one thousand students each year. We also employ six educators in Henderson and four more in Reno. DETR’s support was a godsend.”
Funding for STARBASE was cut by two-thirds during Congress’ continuing resolution legislation last December, which triggered closures for a vast majority of the programs across the country. While the DOD program was created in 1993, the Nevada National Guard’s STARBASE classrooms opened in 2022.
“If the federal funding does not come through on March 14 (during the upcoming continuing resolution), the program could completely go away, impacting the opportunity to provide high levels of STEM education to youth in our community,” said Tiffany Young, director, STARBASE High Sierra in Reno.
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo and DETR effectively saved the program in the interim with an $810,508 federal subgrant they can use for underprivileged communities and Title 1 schools, said Cheryl Tyler, state administrator, Nevada Office of the Military.
Subgrant funding ensures the program remains open for the anticipated 600 students who are planned to take part in STEM courses for the remainder of the 2024-2025 school year. Additionally, the grant also keeps STARBASE open for Nevada youth who are set to attend summer programs through the Boys & Girls Club and other summer youth programs, Young said. Thanks to the grant through DETR, STARBASE will remain open for the first six weeks of the 2025-2026 school year, but funding after that remains a question.
Since opening its doors in 2022, more than 3,000 Nevada students from dozens of schools have participated in the Nevada National Guard’s STARBASE program, which includes a five-day curriculum of 25 hours of academic instruction and multiple challenging “hands-on, minds-on” STEM activities. The program also provides off-site courses for rural Nevada schools. Students also interact with military personnel to explore different career paths and observe STEM being applied first-hand.
“This program has provided numerous experiences and exposure to STEAM activities,” Young said. “Staff at DoD STARBASE High Sierra and Henderson are exceptional in their field. The professionalism and engagement they show with students is inspiring.”
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