In 2016, now Retired U.S. Navy Captain Chad Vincelette, who was Executive Officer of NAS Oceana at the time, developed the genius idea to invite area 5th graders to the NAS Oceana (NASO) flight line on the practice day for the 2016 Air Show for a day full of fun, interactive STEM displays. Ms. Debbie Patch, School Liaison Officer, met with Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) to discuss this idea and from that day on, the Outdoor STEM Laboratory became a reality. Ms. Patch reached out to local, state, and national organizations and invited them to come aboard the installation with developmentally appropriate, hands-on activities that engaged and inspired students for possible careers in STEM. 

Since its conception in 2016, the program has grown exponentially. The event has hosted, even with a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, over 24,000 students.  As with any growing effort, costs associated with executing this one-of-a-kind educational opportunity have also increased.  We are looking for strategic partners to help us offset these costs and allow us to continue to provide the community’s students the hands-on opportunity to experience what a STEM career could look like for them. As a strategic STEM partner, your sponsorship will afford you several benefits that will make this endeavor worthwhile. 

Because the Outdoor STEM Laboratory remains in place on Saturday and Sunday, STEM education and engagement remain an available opportunity to the hundreds of thousands that attend the Navy’s largest open house event. Crowd totals across NASO’s previous five airshows (2016-2019 and 2022), since the STEM Lab’s inception, have surpassed 1.3M. In 2022 alone, over 340,000 attendees witnessed the STEM Laboratory activities.