To address labor shortages in Science Technology Engineering and Math career-related fields, the Department of Defense developed a hands-on/minds-on youth program in October 2021 to engage students in those fields.

Dr. Leah Beth Naholowaa, the program director for Starbase Guam, told KUAM News, "Starbase is a STEM-based curriculum program. It’s a hands-on and minds-on program, it’s a very engaging curriculum, really attracts students to learn more about science, technology, engineering, and math."

The goal is to have students engaged with hands-on STEM learning. "We really would like to get our students interested in the STEM careers, because as you know, 2 million STEM careers are not being filled right now because we don’t have the workforce to fill those jobs," said Naholowaa. "And so by doing this, the students can get interested in those careers and hopefully when they finish high school and they go to college they will be interested in STEM careers."

This is how the program works: for a whole week, 9am to 2pm, students islandwide from both public and private schools, as well as charter schools, attend the 25-hour academic camp at a facility at the Guam Readiness Center in Barrigada. 5th graders from the Home of the Golden Eagles in Barrigada are the participants this week.

Harry S. Truman Elementary School Student Isabella Quinata shared her experience with KUAM News, saying, "It’s been absolutely great, it’s been extraordinary in my opinion. I am having so much fun with all my friends despite the pressure of everything. Everything has been fun and I am enjoying it so far."

Also sharing the experience was Amaya Baleto, another Truman Elementary 5th grader. She said, "It's really fun, and we're learning new things that we haven't been learning in the classrooms. It's also fun because we're learning it outside the classroom setting."

Since the launch, eight Guam Department of Education elementary schools have experienced the program thus far. About six more GDOE schools are scheduled to engage with the program before the school year wraps-up.

According to Naholowaa, the year-round program hopes to educate around 700-800 students by the end of the school year, which is slated to wrap up in May. "Starbase Guam will also host a summer school program," Naholowaa said.