STARBASE ROBINS
April Newsletter
The Director's Corner
In this issue of our newsletter, I would like to acknowledge and thank a very special person, who has served as the Administrative Assistant since 1998. Martha Lockhart and I started a few months apart. She has been keeping me straight for 24 years. Even though Martha is not in the classroom, her impact is instrumental to our success. Martha’s precision keeps us all on task, on time and on budget. Martha knows how to use all available resources to get things done. The only feat she has given up on is keeping my desk organized.
We would also like to thank and congratulate Bibb County School District’s Superintendent Dr. Curtis L. Jones Jr. Dr. Jones has been an advocate and a friend of STARBASE ROBINS since day one of his tenure with Bibb County School District. We will miss his partnership, guidance, and leadership. We wish Dr. Jones well and all the rest and relaxation his retirement will bring.
There is no resting on our laurels. Our instructional team and I presented at the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Conference in Houston, TX. We shared information about our partnership and STEM education practicum with the College of Education at Fort Valley State University. Even though, we are nearing the end of the school year with only a couple more classes left on the calendar, we are full STEAM ahead in planning for our summer academies and partnerships.
We are always looking for volunteers, mentors, and career guides. Please enjoy the April issue of our newsletter and feel free to share your feedback with us.
Wesley Fondal Jr.,
Executive Director
Business Education Partnership (BEP)
STARBASE ROBINS Executive Director Wesley Fondal Jr., accompanied by STARBASE ROBINS staff members Demetria Smith and Tangie Franks had the opportunity to attend the final OneMacon Business Education Partnership (BEP) meeting. During this meeting, we presented Superintendent Dr. Curtis L. Jones Jr., an award to recognize him for being a friend of STARBASE, an advocate of our STEM education program and a partner. Thank you for your commitment to the staff, students and parents of the Bibb County School District, the Macon-Bibb community and for inspiring leaders. Congratulations on your retirement!
STARBASE ROBINS Presents at NSTA
The STARBASE ROBINS STEM Education Practicum continues today under the direction and leadership of the current Dean Dr. Beth Day-Hairston. The goal for our continued partnership is to prepare "excellent educators" focused on STEM pedagogy.
STARBASE 2.0 After School Spotlight
STARBASE 2.0 Mentor Spotlight
In this issue of our newsletter, we spotlight Robyn Williams. Robyn Williams is a former Peach County High School graduate. Following high school, Ms. Williams went on to earn a Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Tech. After 10 years of working in engineering, Ms. Williams pursued a teaching certification in Montessori education. She went on to co-own and operate a Montessori preschool for 12 years with her sister in Warner Robins, GA.
Ms. Williams is now employed with Southwest Research Institute as a Research Engineer. She serves as a mentor in the after school club at Fort Valley Middle School. Ms. Williams brings her expertise as an engineer full circle with her love and passion for educating the “whole child.” This makes her the perfect fit for our program. Her motto is “Make every experience good or bad a learning experience.” To read the full article, click on the link below.
STARBASE 2.0 Club Spotlight
The students at Sacred Heart used the Spike Prime Lego Kits to build a “Smart Bike Model.” The Spike Prime coding software was used to write codes to give the Smart Bike power and movement. The students built a cardboard obstacle course that included a flat surface, upward slope, and a downward slope. The students made scientific observations by graphing the smart bike’s movement and acceleration while traveling on a flat surface and the slopes. Click on the link below to watch how students used the Engineering Design Process to design, build and test their Spike Prime Smart Bike Model.
STARBASE ROBINS Summer Academies
Got STEM at Home
In this edition of Got STEM at Home, Steve Spangler demonstrates an exciting Do It Yourself (DIY) science experiment. This video teaches a new technique to help students remember the 3'Rs: Reduce, Recycle and Reuse. Click on the video to learn how to make vanishing styrofoam.
STARBASE ROBINS at the Museum of Aviation
Email: info@starbaserobins.org
Website: https://www.starbaserobins.org/
Location: 1942 Heritage Boulevard, Robins Air Force Base, GA, USA
Phone: (478) 926-1769
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarbaseRobins
Twitter: @starbaserobins