“It’s like school, but more fun,” says Donny. “You learn about what people really do in the world.” Catering to youth from underserved communities, XTech keeps its middle and high school students on track and thinking about the future. This program is designed to help inspire some of these students to become part of the next generation of scientists, engineers, and others who work to shape the world we live in.

The program meets in classrooms located at the heart of the Exploratorium’s exhibit space, and draws on the museum’s emphasis on scientific discovery to fuel its curriculum. Students participate in a combination of digital and hands-on activities, including even role-playing e-commerce, or building a table lamp from scratch. XTech gives students all the tools and equipment they need to build their projects, whether it is a laptop or a soldering iron. And the variety of projects presented keeps kids interested and gives them an introduction to the wide range of applications for scientific knowledge.

The goal of XTech is that it will “help steer the students in the direction of working in the fields of science, technology and engineering, or just graduating college – or just doing something positive with their lives,” says Program Director Vivian Altmann. The program offers summer institutes and also meets during the year when the kids are on school breaks. “The alternative is that they might be at home, or hanging out on the streets,” says Project Manager Pablo de la Cruz, who has worked with the Exploratorium since he began as a young explainer at the Exploratorium; he is passionate about his work with the students.

The program is taught mostly by current or former “Explainers.” Explainers are typically high school or college students, only some of whom were on their way toward working in the fields of science and technology before arriving at the Exploratorium. Several XTech program instructors are former students in programs like AIM High or First Graduate themselves, and have chosen to give back to the next generation of young learners. This makes them not just educators, but also mentors and role models.

Many students in the program come from first-generation immigrant families. And unlike most programs, where families are expected to pay tuition for their children to participate, XTech students are given a stipend. They are also required to fulfill a certain number of hours in the program over a two-year period. This keeps them accountable, and it keeps them coming back.