STARBASE HOLLOMAN is Official!

Alamogordo, New Mexico – The International Space Hall of Fame Foundation (ISHFF) congratulates Holloman Air Force Base on its selection as a location for the Department of Defense STARBASE program. "The Foundation is privileged to be able to partner with the 49th Wing to bring this exciting hands-on, minds-on STEM program to our region for the benefit of our students and schools," said ISHFF Chairman Cliff Hudson.

DoD STARBASE is a premier educational program, sponsored by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. STARBASE Holloman, an initiative of the 49th Wing Commander, is hosted by the base and administered by the International Space Hall of Fame Foundation.

At DoD STARBASE students participate in challenging "hands-on, minds-on" activities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). The goal of the Program is to raise the interest and improve the knowledge and skills of youth in STEM by exposing them to the technological environment and positive role models found on military bases and installations. Students will be provided 25 hours of STEM instruction during the 5-week program that includes dynamic learning experiences in physics, chemistry, technology, engineering, and math.

STARBASE Holloman is the 82nd STARBASE academy nationwide. It will initially focus on fifth grade students from area schools, including Alamogordo, Tularosa, Cloudcroft, Ruidoso, and Chaparral. The Program will be operated on Holloman Air Force Base in a designated building with a dedicated teaching staff, and students will be transported there on a weekly basis throughout the school year by the local districts. The program is open to 5th graders in public or private schools and those being homeschooled in and around the Alamogordo area.

"The ISHFF has been working closely with the 49th Wing's School Liaison Program Manager Racquel Labadie, who serves as the primary link between the Holloman command, area schools, and the community. She is also the DoD STARBASE Holloman Installation Program Manager and has proven to be an incredible asset as we worked to bring this program to fruition," said Hudson.

According to ISHFF President Johnny Powell, "Now the real work begins." The Foundation will soon begin the hiring process for certified teaching staff, including a program director, deputy director, instructor, and administrative assistant. In addition, it will also begin purchasing the materials necessary to outfit the classrooms and prepare them for a mid-2025 start date. "We're doing our very best to purchase as much locally as possible," said Powell. "It's important that the community be involved from the ground up."

The International Space Hall of Fame Foundation (ISHFF) is a 501(c)3, non-profit corporation whose purpose is to receive and administer funds for scientific, educational, and charitable purposes including providing philanthropic support to the New Mexico Museum of Space History and its programs. As part of its ongoing commitment to the community, the ISHFF constantly seeks new avenues to fulfill its purpose such as becoming the program administrator for STARBASE Holloman.

For more information about the ISHFF, visit spacehalloffame.org. 

For more information about the DoD STARBASE program, visit https://dodstarbase.org/.