STARBASE wraps another year

A group of fifth graders from Shreve Island Elementary School, Shreveport, La., listen closely as 2nd Lt. Amie Hacker briefs them on the history and capabilities of the B-52 Stratofortress on the ramp at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., June 10, 2010. These students comprise the last class of the school year from STARBASE Louisiana, to visit a B-52 at Barksdale. STARBASE Louisiana, one of 60 national STARBASE sites, is sponsored by the 917th Wing of the Air Force Reserve Command. The program presents an exciting 25-hour hands on/minds on aviation and aerospace curriculum to area 5th grade students and their teachers. Committed to addressing the critical needs in STEM education - Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics - STARBASE Louisiana introduces its students to exciting STEM education topics, inspiring these young minds to further explore these topics in future course work. Lieutenant Hacker is assigned to the 11th Bomb Squadron, but she is currently attending the B-52 formal training unit (FTU) at the 93rd Bomb Squadron, which is part of the 917th Wing at Barksdale. Lieutenant Hacker is a navigator student and claims Oklahoma City, Okla., as her hometown. She plans to transfer to Minot Air Force Base, N.D., after graduation. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Jeff Walston)