Oakland Students Led STEM Demonstrations at Chabot Center

The Galaxy Explorers program provides high schoolers with hands-on experience in public science communication.

Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Space

Bold vector editorial illustration of a brass telescope and floating planet models, evoking space education at the Chabot Center. — The Galaxy Explorers program at Oakland's Chabot Space and Science Center offers high schoolers hands-on experience in public science communication. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland continues to run its Galaxy Explorers program, which engages more than 200 high school students annually. These students serve as museum interns, teaching visitors about science and space topics during weekend shifts.

Why it matters

The program provides a practical pipeline for high schoolers to build foundational skills for future careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. By acting as educators, students translate complex exhibits into accessible information for the public.

The program maintains an annual cohort of more than 200 students who facilitate educational activities. This engagement provides active training compared to standard classroom-only STEM curricula.

The players

Chabot Space and Science Center

An Oakland-based institution that focuses on astronomy and physical science education through public exhibits and youth internships.

The details

Students in the Galaxy Explorers program function as museum interns who lead public-facing science demonstrations. During weekend shifts, they explain technical museum exhibits and manage hands-on activities, such as guiding children through the process of building and launching paper rockets.

Weekends: Students conduct museum exhibit explanations and rocket launches.

The Tech Race

The Galaxy Explorers program operates as a local educational pipeline distinct from national high-school STEM competition leagues. It prioritizes public communication and museum-based mentorship as core components of its career development model.

Oakland visitors can observe these students during regular museum hours on weekends. The initiative offers local families direct access to youth-led science demonstrations that extend beyond traditional exhibit signage.

The takeaway

The Galaxy Explorers program demonstrates the value of integrating students directly into public-facing museum operations to foster STEM literacy. Interested residents can observe the current cohort of interns during their scheduled shifts each weekend.