Volunteer-led initiative empowers high school mentors to deliver hands-on STEM education to 75 students at the Boys & Girls Clubs at Oak Cliff.
Dallas, TX –- High Tech Rising, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), is proud to share the successful completion of its Oh Snap! STEM pilot program in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas (BGCD) at Oak Cliff this summer.
For 25 years, High Tech Rising has invested in high-impact programs designed to expand access to STEM for underrepresented students. Over the 2026 summer, the organization trained and paid four high school mentors to deliver the hands-on curriculum to 75 students at the BGCD in Oak Cliff. High Tech Rising’s Oh Snap! program features 16 customized lesson plans and an interactive AI chatbot that teaches electrical circuits to fourth-through-sixth graders.
“The response from our students, teenage mentors, and staff has been incredibly positive,” said Brian Slye, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas. “Our younger members were excited to engage in hands-on projects, while our high school mentors gained valuable leadership experience that opened their eyes to new possibilities for their futures. This is exactly the kind of meaningful, enriching experience that helps young people build confidence, discover their potential, and prepare for success.”
“The feedback from the students and team at BGCD at Oak Cliff was encouraging,” said Alicia Dietsch, Program Committee Co-Chair of High Tech Rising. “Based on this success, the Boys & Girls Clubs staff has expressed a strong desire to expand the Oh Snap! program into all 11 of their club locations across Greater Dallas during the upcoming school year.”
To support this expansion, High Tech Rising is significantly ramping up fundraising to bring hands-on STEM learning to all 11 Boys & Girls Clubs across Greater Dallas and communities around High Tech Rising Chapters in South Texas, Silicon Valley and Colorado.
To get involved, please join us at our upcoming Friendraiser:
High Tech Rising invites community members, supporters, and advocates to help fuel this momentum. To support programs like “Oh Snap!” and expand STEM access for young women across the region, join us for the 2026 High Tech Rising Friendraiser:
- Date: September 18, 2026
- Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
- Location: Oak Highlands Brewery (500 Lockwood Dr, Richardson, TX 75080)
To register, buy tickets, or make a contribution, visit the Friendraiser Event Page.
If you can’t attend the Friendraiser, please support High Tech Rising on September 17th, North Texas Giving Day. https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/organization/HTR
About High Tech Rising
Founded in 2001 by a group of women at Texas Instruments, High Tech Rising (formerly High-Tech High Heels) is a volunteer-led non-profit dedicated to increasing the number of young women pursuing degrees and careers in STEM. Through strategic grants, partnerships, and volunteer engagement, High Tech Rising works to ensure that every young woman has the confidence to pursue a STEM career, limited only by her talents, efforts, and aspirations.
Supporters, community partners, and volunteers are invited to learn more about the initiative by visiting hightechrising.org
Media Contact:
Kelly Stark
214-326-0479 extension 1.
Kelly.Stark@Hightechrising.org
