Our Community Outreach team collaborates with community groups and social service organizations to provide science and art activities to inner-city youth and their families. Most programs take place at familiar neighborhood locations where students and their families can discover that science is accessible and fun. Families are also invited to events at the Exploratorium. Additionally, the Community Outreach team makes regular visits to hospital classrooms.

Each year, the program reaches approximately 5,000 youth and adults. Program effectiveness is informally assessed through periodic interviews with community group leaders that focus on changes in participant attitudes toward science and an awareness of opportunities for careers in science.

XTech is a technology program designed for middle school and high school students from San Francisco populations that are underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) professions. XTech encourages students to have a positive sense of their potential, an awareness of their talents, and the self-confidence to pursue STEM learning. The program develops students’ communication skills, creative thinking skills, and both traditional and digital technology skills.

Students are recruited through community organizations that work with underserved San Francisco families. About 125 students participate in the intensive summer XTech program, and 14 students are involved in XTech activities throughout the school year and into the following summer. These selected students assist those new to the summer program.

Program effectiveness is informally assessed through documented staff observations and periodic interviews with participants and their families that focus on changes in student attitudes toward science and an awareness of college pathways and opportunities for scientific careers.