(HARLINGEN) – Three, two one… lift off. Texas State Technical College’s Micronaut Program at the Challenger Learning Center is launching for its second year in October and is already booking missions.

Yvette Mendoza, TSTC’s coordinator for the Center for Science and Math Education, said this program is about helping elementary-age students increase their understanding and interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematic (STEM) fields.

“We want to plant the STEM seed at an early age,” said Mendoza. “This will open their eyes to the many opportunities that are out there for them.”

The Challenger Learning Center hosts flight missions for junior and high school students while the Micronauts Program is open to kindergarten through fourth grade students from across the Rio Grande Valley and beyond.

“We’ve had schools as far as Falfurrias bring their students to our center,” said Mendoza. “Teachers believe in the program and how it benefits their students.”

The Micronauts program offers students the opportunity to learn science with hands-on projects such as building circuit boards, experimenting with kinetic sand, magnets and microscopes, and learning about computer coding and the solar system.

Students also get to experience the Challenger space shuttle and TSTC’s planetarium.

“The best part of this program is seeing how excited the children get walking through our building, riding our space shuttle and doing their projects,” said Mendoza. “The enthusiasm in their voices lets us know this program is a success.”

What makes the program popular among teachers and parents is that each lesson is aligned with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) required curriculum and testing.

“Eventually, everything the students learn during Micronauts will be taught by their teachers in class,” said Mendoza.

The program runs on a school-year calendar, beginning in October and ending in May, giving teachers and schools a chance to book their missions at their convenience.

“This is the first step in STEM education,” said Mendoza. “In the past year more than 5,300 students have visited our center and our goal is to enhance the way each of these students thinks about science and related fields.”

To enroll in Micronauts or for more information on how to book a mission call the Challenger Learning Center at 956-364-4125.