TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Science is not usually a topic fifth grade students love.
But at Davis-Monthan Air Force base, students are ditching the books and getting hands-on learning as part of the DOD Starbase program.
"Our students come in for 25 hours of S.T.E.A.M. instruction spread over five visits. Each visit has a different focus, but those focuses encompass a lot of the S.T.E.A.M. entities," says Kristine Impellizzeri, director of the Davis-Monthan program, said.
S.T.E.A.M. stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.
The first of five courses focused on science and building a 'starship' that would keep an egg from cracking on impact.
With over 30 students being divided into groups, the results were mixed.
But that is exactly what Impellizzeri and her group of teachers are going for.
“It's really, really exciting to see the end result, because that's the process we want them to go through," says Impellizzeri.
Fifth grade student Elayna Livingood was in one group that succeeded on their first try.
And she says science isn't her favorite subject.
“I didn't really know what science meant until today. And today was just really fun. I didn't think we were gonna do something really fun with like, hands on doing this,” says Livingood.
Impellizzeri and her team are part of the federally funded Starbase program, but she also has Tucson roots of her own.
And she says the community she knows all too well, has played a pivotal role in the success they have seen.
"We've been really, really supported here. Our community out here not only represents positive role models to our students, but they also set the stage with providing opportunities for students to learn about different careers," says Impellizzeri.
Starbase usually brings in 900 students over the course of a year, and they are partnered with the Vail School District, but also aim to bring in schools from around Tucson.
More information can be found on their Facebook page.
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Blake Phillips is a reporter for KGUN 9. Originally from St. Louis, Mo., Blake grew up in Sierra Vista. During his college tenure at the Missouri School of Journalism, Blake worked for the NBC affiliate KOMU-TV in Columbia. He is excited to return to a place he calls home and give back to the community in which he grew up. Share your story ideas and important issues with Blake by emailing blake.phillips@kgun9.com.
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