Kermit McKenzie Intermediate School Students Visit Vandenberg

U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Ina Park, 30th Operations Support Squadron launch weather officer, guides eighth grade students visiting from Kermit McKenzie Intermediate School while releasing a weather balloon at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., Oct. 26, 2023. Weather balloons are used throughout the Department of Defense to provide accurate readings of weather forecasts and to predict storms. (U.S. Space Force photo by Senior Airman Tiarra Sibley)

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Kermit McKenzie Intermediate School Students Visit Vandenberg

Kermit McKenzie Intermediate School eighth grade students interact with weather equipment examples during their tour of Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., Oct. 26, 2023. Vandenberg hosted the school’s first base event while re-building the K-12 STEM Outreach program that fosters an interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for young students. (U.S. Space Force photo by Senior Airman Tiarra Sibley)

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Kermit McKenzie Intermediate School Students Visit Vandenberg

Timothy Abel, 30th Operations Support Squadron weather observer, shows eighth grade students from Kermit McKenzie Intermediate School how they track weather balloons after they are released at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., Oct. 26, 2023. The students learned about the weather’s impact on launch days and how launches are tracked, as well as gaining valuable insight into the complexity of space operations. (U.S. Space Force photo by Senior Airman Tiarra Sibley)

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Kermit McKenzie Intermediate School Students Visit Vandenberg

Vandenberg personnel and eighth graders visiting from Kermit McKenzie Intermediate School pose for a group photo at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., Oct. 26, 2023. Vandenberg’s K-12 STEM Outreach program fosters an interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for young students. (U.S. Space Force photo by Senior Airman Tiarra Sibley)

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Kermit McKenzie Intermediate School Students Visit Vandenberg

U.S. Space Force Capt. Harrison Holmes, 2nd Range Operations Squadron commander, explains the events of a typical launch day to a group of 8th grade students visiting from Kermit McKenzie Intermediate School at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., Oct. 26, 2023. Holmes explained to the eighth graders how 2ROPS is responsible for executing real-time command and control of the Western Test Range while in support of space lift operations, ballistic missile test and evaluation, and aeronautical test and evaluation. (U.S. Space Force photo by Senior Airman Tiarra Sibley)

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Kermit McKenzie Intermediate School Students Visit Vandenberg

Published Oct. 31, 2023
By Senior Airman Tiarra Sibley
Space Launch Delta 30 Public Affairs

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. --

On Oct. 26, Kermit McKenzie Intermediate School 8th grade students from Guadalupe, Calif., had the opportunity to tour Vandenberg Space Force Base. This is Vandenberg's first event to host while re-building the K-12 STEM Outreach program that fosters an interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics among young students. While on base, the students learned about the impact of weather on launch days and on how launches are tracked, as well as providing valuable insight into the complexities of space operations.