Michigan Starbase STEM program shuts down amid federal budget debate
(CBS DETROIT) — Starbase, an educational program geared towards engaging fifth graders in science, technology, engineering and math, has closed after federal funding stopped.
Starbase has three academies in Michigan, and they're a favorite destination for fifth and sixth-grade field trips.
"It's quiet around here, as you can see. I'm sitting in an empty classroom right now. Ordinarily, this would be bustling with students in here," said Rick Simms, a site director with Starbase.
Starbase's programs, which are run through the U.S. Department of Defense, offer hands-on learning opportunities to students.
"We put them in a really immersive environment," Simms said. "So we're able to do a lot of things that is just not really within the means of schools."
Starbase operates 90 programs across the country, but Simms said that because of a funding dispute between the House and Senate in Washington, D.C., the money that keeps the program running has stopped.
"Our program manager at the Pentagon said that they only provided enough funds for the three locations in Michigan through February 7. So there wasn't much time to prepare for alternative funding solutions," said Simms.
Since the programs are often booked well in advance, many school groups and even Starbase's summer programs are on hold. If that money is allocated from the federal government, the programs will get back up and running.
"Then we can very quickly ramp back up as that money begins to flow through," Simms said.
In the meantime, Simms and the two other site directors in Michigan are turning to the community for funding support.
"Whether that be through direct donations that people can contribute, whether it's through sponsorship with companies, um, fundraising through grants, and so forth," Simms said.
Simms says the programs in Michigan are looking to diversify their funding to keep their doors open.
"We want to explore other opportunities as well, so we don't lose our spot in this community, and there's, you know, future generations that can experience this," Simms said.
