Subaru Telescope made it possible for nearly 650 elementary school students from Keaau Elementary School to visit its Hilo base facility this year as part of its continuing Subaru Stars program, now in its second year, that brings astronomy and STEM education to underserved communities across Hawaii Island.
The program, in partnership with ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center this year, allowed students to enjoy a fun-filled day exploring both facilities, where they learned about the universe, alien life, astronomy, super computers, coding, spectrographs, telescope operations and much more, according to a Subaru press release.
Subaru Telescope bussed all students from grades two through six to the base facility over the course of the academic year. Keiki were given exposure to cutting-edge science and technology and engaged in hands-on activities, including coding workshops and physics experiments designed to help develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
These skills are universally valuable, extending beyond STEM fields and contribute to overall academic and life success. Each activity was guided by Subaru Telescope astronomers and engineers.
“Many of our Subaru Telescope employees volunteered to make the second year of our Subaru Stars program engaging and educational,” Subaru Telescope director Satoshi Miyazaki said in the press release. “We were so happy to bring hundreds of Keaau Elementary School students to our facility and hope that this experience might help ignite student curiosity and inspire future careers in STEM.”
Keaau Elementary School Vice Principal Blake Lau was on-hand to experience the Subaru Stars program.
“Students know that we have telescopes on the mountain, but seeing the Subaru Telescope office opened up their perspective,” he said in the press release. “They learned that many organizations have moving parts that may not be seen often but that everyone has a job and part to play.”
The program represents “a vital initiative in broadening access to STEM education and careers for underserved populations on Hawaii Island, particularly among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students,” the press release stated.
“I think we need more field trips for students in our community,because we want them to be ‘locally committed and globally competitive,’” Lau said. “Going on field trips like this in their community will help them learn that there are career opportunities here in Hawaii and in Hilo, where they were born and raised. These experiences show that students can support our local job force.”
For the 2024-2025 academic year, a different rural elementary school will be chosen as the focus of the program.
“Subaru Stars is an important outreach initiative for Subaru Telescope,” Miyazaki said. “We are always looking for ways to build connections within our community and show the next generation what sorts of opportunities they can explore right here in Hawaii.
“We look forward to offering the Subaru Stars program to more students in underserved communities next year, and for years to come.”
