Welcome To
STARBASE OKC
Welcome to STARBASE OKC, where curiosity thrives, challenges inspire, and students discover just how exciting learning can be. Located on the Oklahoma City Military Complex, we offer a unique, hands-on STEAM experience that puts real-world problem-solving front and center. By partnering with local schools and military leaders, we create an environment where students build skills, explore new technologies, and discover their strengths.
Through our 25-hour program, 5th graders dive into hands-on STEAM learning that sparks imagination and builds confidence. At STARBASE OKC, students step into the roles of engineers, scientists, and designers. Through robotics, engineering challenges, applied science labs, and computer-aided design (CAD), our cadets learn to test ideas, work together, and push their creativity further than they thought possible.
Our mission is simple: Ignite a passion for learning and open doors to future opportunities. With a dedicated team guiding and supporting every activity, we ensure each lesson is engaging, every challenge is meaningful, and every student feels encouraged to explore their potential and new possibilities.
At STARBASE OKC, we do more than teach STEAM, we bring learning to life!
Contact
Mike Baarlaer
6500 N. Kelley Ave
BLDG MAO80 EDU Center
Oklahoma City, OK 73111
Testimonials
Meet the Staff
Mike Baarlaer
Director
Mike Baarlaer brings three decades of educational experience to his role as Director for StarBase OKC, following a distinguished career teaching 5th grade in Michigan. He is dedicated to shaping engaging, inquiry-driven learning experiences at STARBASE and is committed to fostering an environment where students reach their “ah-ha” moments through meaningful, hands-on exploration. Why does Mike love STARBASE?
“I love watching the students see that ‘ah-ha’ moment when they are learning and having fun understanding scientific principles.”
When he’s not inspiring the next generation of scientists, you’ll find him spending time outdoors with his family, kayaking, hiking, playing tennis or pickle ball, and reading.
Brian Reed
Deputy Director
Brian Reed serves as Deputy Director at STARBASE OKC and has been part of the program for seven years. He began his career at STARBASE as a Program Assistant, advanced to Program Instructor, and now supports the organization through his experience and long-standing involvement in STEAM education.
Throughout his time at STARBASE, Brian has contributed to engaging, hands-on learning experiences that spark curiosity and creativity in students. His background in classroom instruction provides valuable insight into the program’s educational approach and day-to-day operations.
Brian’s passion for learning is reflected in a haiku he wrote about the STARBASE experience:
Knowledge fills young minds
Humanity’s vow renewed
Circle is complete
Olivia Hernandez
Program Instructor
Meet Instructor Olivia Hernandez, call sign “Proton.” Known for bringing energy, joy, and positivity into every STARBASE classroom, Olivia is passionate about creating learning environments where curiosity thrives and students feel empowered.
Outside of work, Olivia finds joy in photography, a passion she’s nurtured for years, and she currently manages the STARBASE OKC Facebook page. She treasures time with her family and friends, loves being outdoors, and often recharges by taking in the beauty of God’s creation. She’s also a proud dog mom and a lover of all fur babies.
At the heart of everything she does is her belief in lifelong learning. Olivia loves showing students that they can achieve anything, that STEAM is for everyone, and that discovering new things should always feel fun, inspiring, and full of wonder.
Michelle Swedlow
Program Instructor
Meet Instructor Michelle Swedlow! Call sign “Photon” a passionate educator who brings science to life with energy, creativity, and real-world experience. Blending her love of physics with hands-on learning and Army-honed discipline, she sparks curiosity and inspires the next generation of critical thinkers. What she loves most about teaching STARBASE:
“Teaching science lets me do what I love most: to excite electrons and young minds. I fuse Physics education, creativity, and Army-honed discipline to make science real and hands-on, to ignite a lifelong love of science, mathematics, exploration, and critical thinking for our next gen kids.”
Dominique Phillips
Program Instructor
With 15 years of experience and a heart fully in it, our newest program instructor Dominique Call sign: Quanta is here to back the education system and help people grow into their best selves. Quanta is deeply committed to supporting the Department of Defense’s mission to ignite a love for STEAM and expand access to opportunities for marginalized communities, ensuring no talent goes untapped.
Her life motto— “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care” sums up the way she lives life with emotional connection and empathy preceding knowledge and achievement in building relationships with the students, families and communities around the world.
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We’ve been having an absolute BLAST with Crutcho Public School District- Home of the Tigers 5th grader from Ms. Jackson’s class, joined by the amazing Ms. Chapel!✨
From diving into nanotechnology to learning how to keep EggBert safe🐣, and putting ALL of our energy to work at today’s with our energy stations ⚡️these students have shown up curious, engaged, and ready to learn every single time.
They are a fun-loving group with big hearts, big brains, and even bigger questions. Their excitement for learning is contagious, and it’s been such a joy teaching them, learning alongside them, and watching their minds light up during hands-on experiments.
Three weeks of growing, exploring, and discovering down… and we still have two more weeks to go and we couldn’t be more excited! 💫 These students are going far, and we’re grateful to be part of their journey.
#STEMtastic #CochoSchools #FifthGradeRocks #FutureInnovators #Nanotechnology #EnergyInAction #HandsOnLearning #BigBrainsBigHearts #STEMEducation #CuriousMinds #LearningByDoing
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Millwood 5th grade cadets from Ms. Stockard-Jones’ class have been bringing the ENERGY every time they walk through our doors! ⚡️✨
From exploring energy and chemistry with Pop Goes the Fizz 🧪💥 to putting Newton’s Third Law into action by launching rockets 🚀these past few weeks have been full of hands-on learning, curiosity, and so many “aha!” moments.
They’re excited, engaged, and eager to learn and that’s exactly what STEM is all about. This group is fun, full of life, and always ready to jump in and try something new. We’ve loved watching them grow, experiment, and learn through doing.
Three weeks of creating, questioning, testing, and learning and honestly? It’s been the BEST time. 💛
STEM-tastic doesn’t even begin to cover it!
#STEMtastic #MillwoodCadets #FifthGradeFun #HandsOnLearning #FutureScientists #EnergyInAction #NewtonInAction #PopGoesTheFizz #STEMEducation #LearningIsFun
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✨ Millwood Art Academy 5th Grade Highlights! ✨
We’ve been having an absolute blast with Ms. Benedict’s fifth graders and Mr. White’s fifth graders, and these photos capture just a glimpse of the hands-on learning happening every day!
From keeping Egbert safe by designing a restraint system 🥚, to launching straw rockets while applying Newton’s Three Laws of Motion 🚀, and exploring energy through interactive stations⚡️these students are thinking, building, testing, and collaborating nonstop.
By the time they leave us, they’re energized… and we’re happily worn out 😄 That’s how you know the learning is good!
#MillwoodArtAcademy #STEAMLearning
#HandsOnLearning #FifthGradeFun
#ScienceInAction #LearningByDoing
#FutureInnovators #STEMEducation
#CuriousMinds
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As we reflect on the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we are reminded that meaningful change begins with compassion, courage, and a commitment to justice.
In a world that often feels heavy, his message continues to call us to lead with integrity, stand for what is right, and choose unity over division. May we honor his legacy not only in remembrance, but through our actions each day.
#MLKDay #martinlutherkingjr #LegacyOfChange #LoveInAction #JusticeAndEquality #bethechange #unity #HopeForward #InspiredByMLK
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