BLACKSTONE, Va. –
The Virginia National Guard hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the Blackstone STARBASE Academy Oct. 20, 2024, in Blackstone, Virginia. STARBASE is a Department of Defense program with the mission to expose youth to technological environments and positive civilian and military role models by providing 25 hours of hands-on instruction and activities in science, technology, engineering and math that meet or exceed the national standards.
During the ceremony, Maj. Gen. James W. Ring, the Adjutant General of Virginia, and Nikole Johnson, the Blackstone STARBASE Academy Director, explained the impact the program is expected to have for students in the community. Retired Col. Everton Nevers, the Virginia Department of Military Affairs Chief of Staff, joined them for the groundbreaking.
“We are very excited to break ground on the new STARBASE Academy here in Blackstone, and it demonstrates the continued commitment of the Virginia National Guard and Department of Defense in the Southside Community,” Ring said. “I would like to thank retired Col. Nevers and the entire Department of Military Affairs team for their hard work and dedication in bringing this fantastic educational opportunity to the area. I also want to acknowledge the outstanding work of Dr. Susan Corrigan and the Winchester STARBASE Academy staff for the positive impact they have made on students for the last 12 years. I have every confidence we will see similar positive impacts for students in the communities here.”
The Blackstone location will partner with public and private schools in the region to serve students in Blackstone, Nottoway, Lunenburg, Brunswick, Amelia, Dinwiddie and Prince Edward. Instruction is scheduled to begin in early 2025.
“This is such an exciting time for Blackstone and the surrounding community to be establishing a STARBASE program right here in Southside Virginia,” Johnson said. “STARBASE is a premier Department of Defense program that is designed to engage and inspire our students to pursue a future in STEM,” Johnson said. “Its goal is to raise interest and increase student knowledge in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and to see how it relates to the real world, including possible career opportunities for our youth.”
She said that since coming on board as the director, she has been able to visit two STARBASE locations.
“I cannot wait to bring that same hands-on, problem-based learning to Southside Virginia,” she said. “The excitement and curiosity that the students displayed was amazing. You can really see that light, that spark, that point in time when students actually see the purpose for their own education.”
Johnson said the team is very excited to bring these learning experiences to this community and to light a spark and desire to learn for our students.
“After spending 20 years working in the local public school system, our students need to be able to see how their learning connects to the real world, the world beyond the walls of their classroom and say wow, I can do that or that’s what I want to do when I grow up,” Johnson said. “Our target group is 5th grade, the best time to inspire students as they make the transition from elementary school to middle and high school. We are enabling our students to see the world beyond Southside Virginia. It is one thing for a teacher to tell our students to have dreams and aspirations, but eye opening when we can show them what that could look like.”
Johnson also thanked the Department of Defense and the Virginia National Guard for the investment in the students in the community and their future.
The VNG first launched Winchester STARBASE Academy in 2012, and more than 10,000 students have taken part in the program’s activities.
In the summer of 2024, Winchester STARBASE held four weeks of summer camp for 80 sixth graders in Winchester, led an Advanced STARBASE program with 138 high school Marine JROTC cadets at Randolph-Macon Academy, provided activities for over 100 children of National Guards Soldiers and Airmen at the National Guard Youth Camp, and held a summer camp at the Handley Regional Library for 15 students.
Winchester STARBASE Academy is currently serving 63 classes of students for the 2024-2025 school year from 13 public schools and four private schools. So far this year, they have had 549 students go through their 5-day STARBASE program and have provided STEM activities at three outreach programs at the Kids Clubs of Northern Shenandoah Valley, Girls in Aviation Day at the Winchester Regional Airport, and “How to be an Engineer” at the “How to Fest” at Handley Regional Library.
Learn more about their program at
https://www.starbasewinchester.com.
Learn more about DOD STARBASE at
https://dodstarbase.org