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Thousands of fifth-grade students nationwide attend a STEM extracurricular program every year to do hands-on learning and experiments.
But back in February, STARBASE temporarily suspended its program, while waiting for the federal budget to pass.
Nearly two months later, the program is still not running.
The nationwide program is funded through the Department of Defense.
In Kansas, STARBASE has academies in Kansas City, Salina, Wichita, Topeka, and Manhattan.
While federal leaders were working on a budget, dozens of teachers went without pay, and thousands of students couldn't go to camp.
"My heart really goes out to the kids who have already submitted their permission slips, who were already queued up to hop on the bus and come to STARBASE Academy," Kansas STARBASE Executive Director Melissa Peat said.
Federal legislators passed a continuing resolution on March 14, but Kansas City's STARBASE is still in limbo. The program's temporary suspension has been extended because of new federal funding guidelines.
Site director Gena Schleimer demonstrated what fifth-grade students would normally be doing this week, including launching a model airplane loaded with designs to protect an egg at a base board.
What should be an exciting experiment is met with silence.
"It's been tough, to be honest with you," Schleimer said.
No one has been in the Lenexa classroom seats since February 4 while the program waited for federal funding to return.
"We really hoped that things would be up and going here after the budget passed on March 14," Peat said.
Federal leaders did designate $53 million for STARBASE programs nationwide. But this year, those dollars are not fenced. That means the office of the Secretary of Defense can reassign the money to something else before April 28th.
STARBASE can't spend any designated funds until they are officially appropriated to the program.
"It's the waiting game that's killing us," Peat said. "It's so frustrating, that even with the clear intent of Congress to provide us with the funds, we have yet another hurdle."
STARBASE is one of several federal programs that experienced shake-ups this year. President Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the Education Department last week.
Peat explained STARBASE has weathered federal funding gaps before, but it's unclear if the designated funds will be received this year.
"It became an issue this time because of the unpredictability of what's happening at a federal level," Peat said.
St. Agnes Catholic School's principal has worked with STARBASE for years and sees firsthand how it can impact students.
"We can give them the basic, solid foundation, but we don't know what the future holds for our students," Jane Sullivan said. "We're always trying to find different tools, so this program is one of those opportunities that has allowed our boys and girls to think differently."
If STARBASE doesn't receive funding and has to reduce or eliminate its programming, Sullivan believes it will add more work for Kansas teachers.
"[Students] aren't going to get that hands-on experience where all the different sciences get to come alive to them," Sullivan said. "If this doesn't work, we would have to find another way and another tool."
For educators like Schleimer, it's more than a job. That's why she's working with STARBASE coordinators at the four other Kansas campuses to bring fifth graders into the classroom for one day this week rather than the normal five-week curriculum.
"I have two staff members who are going to volunteer their time to come and be right here on site with the kids because they miss them as much as I do," Schleimer said.
STARBASE's campus in Salina was able to fully bring students back with nonprofit donations. KC STARBASE is looking for those opportunities, too.
"It could really be any day, or we could sit idly till the end of April," Peat said. "With $50,000, this team could get back in here, kids could start coming, and we could bridge this gap while we're just waiting to find out where our finances stand."
Educators hope the program is able to stay afloat to keep students engaged in STEM.
"They're our future, they are," Sullivan said. "That's why we've got to come together and say what can we do that's best for our kids."
Nonprofits interested in donating to get the KC campus back up and running can learn more here or email Kansas STARBASE, Inc. Board President, Briar Conner, at president@kansasstarbase.org.
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