SALINAS VALLEY — Hartnell College Foundation’s K-12 STEAM program celebrated the culmination of another successful NASA MAA (MUREP Aerospace Academy) summer program on July 18, with a Symposium and Poster Session held at Hartnell’s Student Center in Salinas.
The summer program started in June with more than 170 high school students, who participated in six weekly sessions every Friday. These sessions featured interactive lessons and hands-on activities focused on acoustic damping in aerospace engineering.
Students met at the Hartnell Alisal Campus daily, with one cohort of 14 youth in King City.
“It has been my absolute pleasure to be part of this initiative over the past three years — a collaboration that truly reflects the shared mission of the Hartnell College Foundation, Hartnell College and NASA,” said Ana Ibarra, director of K-12 STEAM program at Hartnell College Foundation. “Engaging students through meaningful projects and field trips has been a deeply rewarding experience.”
Over the course of three years, students have engaged in topics of hydrology, lunar rovers and acoustic damping. They have also engaged in field trips to Elkhorn Slough, Monterey One Water, Farm NG, Joby Aviation and the WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca.
Hartnell College was one of only nine academic institutions selected to receive the NASA MAA grant, and one of just two community colleges chosen nationwide.
Thanks to the NASA award and the support of Chevron, Hartnell College has played a pivotal role in expanding youth exposure to STEM careers. This grant has funded the summer program for high school students since 2023.
Hartnell’s partnership with NASA dates back to 2011, when it first received a NASA MAA award aimed at engaging 300 elementary students in aerospace careers. Over the years, this initiative has grown to impact thousands of students and continues to make a lasting difference.
Inspiring the next generation
This year, two former high school students who participated in NASA MAA took on new roles as Lead Technicians, helping to coordinate the program and inspire others. Both students shared how the program sparked their passions and propelled them into leadership roles.
Celeste Romero, 20, a 2023 Gonzales High School graduate, initially planned to major in education before switching to psychology at Hartnell College. However, her summer job supporting NASA MAA students broadened her perspective and ignited her love for software engineering.
“I love it and it’s fun,” Romero said. “At first it can be intimidating, but once you start playing with things, you start to learn how everything works — that’s how it happened with me.”
Today, she is pursuing a certification in Information Technology at the University of Phoenix, with her passion leading her toward AI development.
Michael Oliver, 18, a 2024 Rancho San Juan High School graduate, was introduced to the TRiO program at Hartnell and participated in NASA MAA during his junior and senior years. His fascination with space, planets and hydrology grew through the program, ultimately guiding him to his current path.
Networking within STEM led him to become a Lead Technician this summer, where he taught others about NASA MAA opportunities.
Oliver, now an astrophysics major at UC Berkeley, shared, “If it wasn’t for programs like this, I would not be where I am today. As a lead now, I can show other students what NASA MAA is and where it can take them.”
In the next five years, NASA anticipates needing 1 million workers to fulfill different projects and missions. With NASA MAA, the goal is to discover in youth talents they did not know existed in them, and with or without a college degree, provide opportunities for hands-on control over the future.
“Looking ahead, we are excited about the continued opportunities NASA will provide as it works to develop its workforce,” Ibarra said. “I am incredibly grateful to all of our partners, instructors, and especially to our main sponsor, Chevron, for making this possible.”
