Tech Interactive

The Tech Interactive, a hands-on science center, will create educational resources that empower youth from historically marginalized communities to envision themselves in STEM careers. Informed by pre-project research and community listening sessions, the center’s STEM Pathways Committee will select two to three program ideas to test, including STEM events, project-based mentoring models, and career exploration resources for educational programs. The Committee includes educators from local schools, as well as the Santa Clara County Office of Education, San Jose Public Library, Envisioneers (a youth mentoring organization), and STEM education nonprofits. To support co-creation of resources, the center will train paid college interns with lived experience similar to the target demographic to offer insights and authentically engage youth as near peers. Multiple focus groups will provide feedback used to refine the programs under development and ensure successful integration of career-connected resources into existing programming.