At least six schools in Yuma County and five in La Paz are eligible to participate in the newest astronomy program from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO). The program, titled ‘Scientists Taking Astronomy to Rural Schools’ (STARS), will bring telescopes, accessories, ongoing teacher training and aligned astronomy lessons to participating schools.
The program is a nationwide investment to spark early interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), but it launches first in Arizona during the 2025-2026 school year because it’s home to the Smithsonian’s Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory in rural Amado, which is roughly a 40-minute drive south of Tucson.
Per STARS Arizona Director Amy Oliver, “the Whipple Observatory is already home to a robust outbound rural education program and hands-on public science center, and is the largest field observatory of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, making it the perfect heart and home of the STARS program.”
She also notes that Arizona ranks 50th in K-12 funding and resources, making it ‘a critical starting point for the program.’
Because STARS will roll out to Arizona schools starting in Fall 2025, the program is currently accepting initial interest requests from K-12 public schools. In order to qualify, schools must meet the program’s definition of rural ‘remote’ - over 25 miles from an urbanized area - or rural ‘distant’ - over 5 miles but less than 25 miles from an urbanized area.
To submit a request or learn more about STARS, visit the Smithsonian site.
“At SAO, we stand firm in our belief: the sky has no limits, and neither does STEM,” SAO Director Lisa Kewley says. “Our STARS initiative aims to inspire kids across the country to reach for the cosmos.”
