STARBASE Victory is an exciting, innovative STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Pathways Program for all fourth through sixth graders in Portsmouth Public Schools. The program is funded through a unique partnership between Portsmouth Public schools, community organizations and STARBASE Victory, Inc., a 501(C)3 nonproft.

Students come with their class and teacher to a new world of STEM. They are given a special program T-Shirt (creating a “team” look with different colors for each grade). They then select their own call-sign, which we use exclusively at STARBASE Victory. Every student takes home a class project they make plus a graduation certificate and recognition pin. All of these “extras” are paid for by nonprofit funds, and they are a source of personal pride for our graduates.

The dedicated focus on mathematics and science using experiential teaching methods carefully exposes every fourth through sixth grader (3,300 students) to exciting hands-on learning. We want students to realize mathematics and science can be fun and scientific concepts (and computers) have a very real place in their lives. After three years of exposure, students no longer “fear” mathematics and science. They have an appreciation for scientific principles, and those with an interest in STEM can be identified and further challenged in follow-on programs as they advance through the 7th–12th grades.