Starbase Winchester, VA

We recently wrapped up an amazing four weeks with Evendale Elementary at Wi******er STARBASE! It was a joy working with such curious, energetic students as they explored science, technology, engineering, math, and teamwork. Thank you to the students and staff for making this experience so memorable. We loved every minute!

Last week, students at Wi******er Starbase Academy had the opportunity to listen in on a live radio contact between the International Space Station and Emporia State University.

Our students got hands-on with the tech, holding the antenna and manually tracking the ISS across the sky to maintain the signal as it moved. We were able to hear Astronaut Sophie Adenot speaking live from orbit!

Bringing STEAM to Life: Community Heroes Inspire Our 5th Graders

At STARBASE Wi******er, our mission is to ignite a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Design, and Math (STEAM) through "hands-on, mind-on" learning. As a part of our exciting STEAM curriculum, true magic happens when our 5th grade students meet the real-world professionals who use these skills every day.

We are incredibly fortunate to have a dedicated group of guest speakers from our local community who give of their time and talent to engage and inspire the next generation of innovators. These professionals bridge the gap between the classroom and the "real world," showing students that a future in STEAM isn’t just a far-off idea, it’s a tangible path right here in Wi******er.

A Diverse Look at STEAM Careers:
This year, our students have had the privilege of hearing from a wide array of experts, each bringing a unique perspective to the program:

Engineering in Action: Long-standing partners like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lead a thrilling challenge of building and testing popsicle stick bridges, where students see firsthand how geometry and physics support our infrastructure. A recent group of students built an incredibly strong bridge, holding over 100 pounds of weight! Engineers from the City of Wi******er share an interactive model with our students. During this activity, students add different types of “pollution” to see how contaminants move through the watershed and impacts water quality.

The Science of Flight: A Pilot and Air Traffic Controller provide a glimpse into the physics of flight, the variety of complex technological environments of aviation, and how to manage safe skies. Of course, the students love building paper airplanes and balsa wood planes with these guest speakers!

Healthcare Heroes: A Doctor, Nurse, and Physical Therapist share how biology and technology work together to save lives, inspiring many students to consider the medical field. One of the most unforgettable highlights of the STARBASE experience is our cardiovascular lesson, led by a visiting nurse. To provide an understanding of how the heart functions, our guest nurse facilitates a dissection using cow and pig hearts. This allows our 5th graders to see and touch the chambers, valves, and arteries they have learned about.

Creative STEAM: We also hosted an Author and the owner of an ice cream factory, proving that STEAM is everywhere…from the pages of a book to the chemistry and technology required to make the perfect ice cream. Our students even had the pleasure of being taste-testers for a brand-new frozen treat that had not hit the market, yet!

Why It Matters:
Early exposure is critical. Many of our students have shared that meeting these professionals has inspired them to consider STEAM careers they never knew existed. As STARBASE Director Dr. Susan Corrigan notes, having "real models" helps kids see themselves in these roles.

These are just a few examples of the wide variety of guest speakers that visit our program to ensure that our students leave STARBASE not just with new knowledge, but with the confidence to pursue their own STEAM dreams.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve had the pleasure of working with students from Indian Hollow Elementary here at Wi******er STARBASE Academy, and it has been a great experience.

These students brought great energy, curiosity, and teamwork to every session. Through hands on STEM activities and problem solving challenges, they consistently impressed us with their creativity and willingness to learn.

A big thank you to the students and teachers from Indian Hollow Elementary for spending this time with us. We hope you had as much fun as we did and took away some exciting new skills and experiences.

We loved having you at Wi******er STARBASE Academy and hope to see you again in the future

Last week we had a special guest speaker, Col. Klein with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Middle East District, visit our students. He spoke about engineering work and led an exciting hands on bridge building activity.

Students worked in teams to design bridges and test how much weight they could hold. One group set a new record. Their bridge held over 100 pounds.

Great job to all the students for their teamwork and creativity, and thank you to Col. Klein for taking the time to inspire our future engineers.

Would you like to be part of an exciting educational program that inspires the next generation of innovators?

🚀 We’re Hiring STEM Instructors! Join the Team at STARBASE Wi******er!

The STARBASE program is designed for fifth grade students, with the purpose of working with them to increase their interest and skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). STARBASE students are immersed in a challenging STEM classroom experience for 5 days/25 hours. All activities are student-centered, hands-on, encourage higher-order thinking and incorporate STEM applications into a relevant real-world setting.

Learn more about our program at : www.starbasewinchester.com

We are hiring TWO instructors!
Application Deadline: March 5, 2026 at 11:55 PM
Start Date: June 25, 2026

If you are interested apply through the job portal: http://jobs.virginia.gov/cw/en-us/job/5099005?lApplicationSubSourceID=http://jobs.virginia.gov/cw/en-us/job/5099005?lApplicationSubSourceID=

STARBASE Instructor - Wi******er, Virginia, United States Title: STARBASE Instructor State Role Title: Trainer and Instructor II Hiring Range: Minimum starting salary of $55,000 Pay Band: 4 Agency: Department of Military Affairs Location: STARBASE Agency Website: DMA Recruitment Type: General Public - G Job Duties About the Program:The STARBASE program is....

We were excited to welcome Mr. Lightcap’s class from Redbun Run Elementary last week for another great week of hands-on STEAM learning, exploration, and creativity.

Students dove into engaging activities that encouraged curiosity, problem-solving, and collaboration. It was wonderful to see their enthusiasm throughout the week.

Thank you to Mr. Lightcap and his students for spending the week with us. We loved having you and seeing STEAM learning come to life.

We were thrilled to welcome Ms. Sylves’ class from Redbun Run Elementary last week for a week full of hands-on STEAM activities, learning, and exploration.

A special highlight of the week was having David Garber from Garber’s Ice Cream visit as a guest speaker. He shared fascinating insights about their products, company, and innovation in the ice cream industry and even brought some ice cream for our students to enjoy.

Thank you to all the students and our amazing guest for making last week so memorable. We loved seeing the curiosity and creativity in action!

August 21st begins schools coming to our program here at STARBASE Wi******er. We are looking forward to a fun and engaging school year!

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We had an amazing summer with incredible students in our 2025 Summer Camps! While the season is coming to a close, the memories our students made will last for years to come.

A special thank you goes to Stacey Cowgill. After hearing about our plans to teach our Summer Camp students science experiment through a fun, hands-on ice cream–(that they could enjoy afterward!), Stacey generously donated all the supplies herself.