STARBASE ROBINS
2023 May Newsletter
The Director's Corner
We have closed out another school year. It has been a fun year with our 5th-grade program and STARBASE 2.0 Afterschool Clubs. I want to thank all the schools participating this year, the community, and our partners for making our STEM Saturday Sparks and FLL Super Regional Tournament successful. We could not do this work without the help of our partners and volunteers. We will soon start the scheduling process for our fifth-grade program's 2023–2024 school year and extend the opportunity for local middle schools to participate in our STARBASE 2.0 Afterschool Program. Please inform your school or district leadership of your interest in participating.
Even though our school year is winding down, we are busy preparing for our summer academies. We have several academies at our facilities and around the region. On June 5–9, we will have our 2nd Annual Full STEAM Ahead Academy with Hancock County Library in partnership with the Hancock County 4-H Club. The week of June 12–15, we will have our 2nd Annual STARBASE 3.0 Academy with the Broward County JROTC STEM Leadership Summit in Broward County, FL. Lastly, we will host our STEM Adventure Summer Academies featuring our STEMpowered Girls Academy and our Super STEM Boys Academy June 20–30.
We want to take this opportunity to say goodbye to STARBASE ROBINS Program Instructor James Warren as he moves into another chapter. Even though James has not been with us for a long time, his time with our program has been impactful. We wish him all the best. We want to welcome Stefan "Jamal" Smith and Shakeerryah Barret to the team.
We look forward to their contributions to educating, equipping, and empowering students in STEM. Please remember that we are always looking for volunteers, career guides, and mentors for the students we serve.
Wesley Fondal Jr.,
Executive Director
STARBASE ROBINS STAFF Spotlight
We want to welcome aboard Shakeerryah Barrett! Ms. Barrett will serve as the newest STARBASE ROBINS Program Instructor. She was born and raised in Houston County. Ms. Barrett is the mother of two beautiful children. She graduated from The Fort Valley State University with a Bachelor's in Elementary and Special Education. Before coming to STARBASE ROBINS, Ms. Barrett taught first and third grades in Peach County. Ms. Barrett is excited to join our team and ready to motivate and inspire students in STEM.
STARBASE ROBINS is happy to welcome Stefan "Jamal" Smith. Mr. Smith will be the Teaching Assistant in our STARBASE 1.0 5th grade program and 2.0 Facilitator in STARBASE 2.0 Afterschool Program. He was born and raised in Warner Robins, Georgia. He is the father of three beautiful children. Mr. Smith is a caring, compassionate, and respectful individual who prides himself in conquering any assigned task. This makes Mr. Smith the perfect fit for our team. Mr. Smith looks forward to making a positive impact by guiding students to the paths of success through STEM.
STARBASE ROBINS Saturday Spark
We look forward to continuing our Saturday Sparks series in the fall and spring of the 2023-2024 school year. You will read all about the Saturday Spark fun and excitement in this edition of our newsletter.
Using STEM to Make Aromatic Candles
Written by: Anikitia Abram
STARBASE ROBINS Program Instructor Anikitia Abram is an entrepreneur who has developed her own aromatic candles and hair care product lines. She used her knowledge to teach students the science behind how to make aromatic "scented" candles. This project aimed to make learning fun and engaging for students by providing hands-on learning experiences on how science works in everyday life. Students learned about the history of candle making, how it changed over time, the science behind how candles burn, the different types of atoms that make up the candle wax, and the chemistry involved when adding fragrances and essential oils. Students were able to take their candles home to light and burn.
STRAWBERRY DNA Extraction
Written by: Kylie Youmans
During this activity, students were able to explore the world of strawberries. Students learned how strawberries are grown, packaged, and produced in stores. STARBASE ROBINS Executive Director Wesley Fondal Jr. and Program Instructor Kylie Youmans led this activity by discussing the molecular construct of the strawberry and the parts of the cell. Through a series of steps, students extracted and observed single strands of DNA taken from their samples of strawberries. Students kept their DNA samples to take home and show their parents.
STARBASE ROBINS "Egg" Drop Challenge
Written by: Donnie Howard
The egg drop challenge involved students working as engineers. The task was to create a safety restraint device to protect their real “egg” during the two-story drop. STARBASE ROBINS 2.0 Facilitator Donnie Howard paired students in groups, gave them a budget, and provided the opportunity for each group to determine which materials to purchase to build a safety restraint device that would be designed to protect the egg during the two-story drop. Unfortunately, none of our group’s eggs survived the two-story fall. However, students learn the importance of working together and how to utilize their resources best to solve problems.
Cell Motility and Bristle Bots
Written by: James Warren
Students had the opportunity to work as a scientist to explore the impact of Cell Motility in animals, plants, and single-celled organisms. STARBASE ROBINS Program Instructor James Warren led this activity. Mr. Warren discussed the science behind how cells use unique organelles (Cilia and Flagella) to spark the direction of movement. Students built a tiny autonomous robot to represent a cell and the cilia organelles using a toothbrush head, small button battery, small pager motor, two pipe cleaners, googly eyes, and tape. Students played games with their bristle bots at the end of the Cell Motility lesson. The mini-game was staged like an arena. One side represented the positive chemotaxis (bacteria will survive and replicate), and the other represented negative chemotaxis (ex, antibiotics). The bristle bots started in the middle of the arena. The goal was for the bristle bot to move to the positive side.
Technology "Transforms" Healthcare
A STEM Adventure at the Mall
STARBASE ROBINS
Email: info@starbaserobins.org
Website: https://www.starbaserobins.org/
Location: 1942 Heritage Boulevard, Warner Robins, GA, USA
Phone: 4789261769
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarbaseRobins/
Twitter: @STARBASEROBINS