ChickTech: High School

We believe girls and non-binary youth belong in STEM. Learn about our free, year-long program filled with virtual & in-person workshops, mentoring, and internship connections.

Students: register now   Teachers: nominate students   Denver Robotics Workshop

What is ChickTech: High School?

ChickTech: High School is a free year-long series of hands-on tech workshops, mentoring, and internship connections for 8th- to 12th-grade female, non-binary, and other gender minority students (including transgender youth of any gender presentation or identity).

Register as a student or nominate your students for our nationwide program! Once registered, students get access to a Student Portal where they register for virtual and in-person events. Students can then also join our Discord channel, and will receive email and/or text messages to notify them of announcements and upcoming events.

We offer free, hands-on, fun events for those who don’t feel they belong in STEM.

Many young women and non-binary adults do not reach their potential in tech because they were told it wasn’t for them. Some are led to think it is too difficult; others do not have role models in the field to help encourage and guide them. ChickTech: High School exists to break down the barriers preventing historically-marginalized youth from thriving in STEM.

Our program is designed to be super-inclusive. We encourage all students to tell us about any ways we can reduce or eliminate barriers to joining when they register.

Students—register now! Educators—nominate students!

What Students Can Expect:

📬 Monthly hands-on workshops, from video game design to robotics, web development to environmental science

🤗 A supportive Discord community to chat about tech (& beyond!)

👩🏽‍🔬 Mentorship opportunities with industry professionals working in STEM fields

💬 Panel discussions and talks with a focus on career skills and diversity in tech

❌ NO homework or assignments

❌ NO requirements—students choose when and how they participate

❌ NO cost or fees—joining is 100% free

2022/2023 Program Year

Students: Register now!

ChickTech: High School kicks off on October 29th, 2022, and ends in June 2022. This year, we’re launching a brand-new official Discord channel and are planning some super fun STEM workshops and mentorship sessions. We hope you can join us!

Register below for the nationwide program. Once registered, you’ll have access to a Student Portal where you can then select the virtual and in-person events you wish to attend.

2022/2023 Program Year

Educators: Nominate your Students!

We are thrilled that you’re interested in nominating students for ChickTech: High School. By asking educators, parents, and youth advocates to nominate participants for our program, we give our students a vote of confidence. People who know them and recognize their abilities have nominated them for this incredible opportunity!

Please follow the instructions below to quickly nominate your students for ChickTech: High School. The program kicks off on October 29th, 2022, but we accept nominations throughout the program year, ending in June 2023.

1. Enter your email. If you’ve nominated with us before, you’ll have the opportunity to check over your information to make sure it’s up to date. If you’re new, you’ll be prompted to share a little more about yourself.

2. Enter your student(s) info (first & last name, email address, and grade)

3. Hit submit—we’ll send an email to the student congratulating them on their nomination and sending them info about how to register.

Questions? Need help? Contact us!

What does our program look like?

With flexibility and empowerment in mind, our program allows students to choose the workshops and opportunities that work for them, on their schedules. Students can stay connected whenever and wherever by chatting on our Discord channel and browsing our online content library of past events.

Yearly Kickoff

Yearly Kickoff: Kick-off events give us the opportunity to start the year off right! Yearly kickoffs in the Fall bring our students together for a one or two day weekend of workshops, all guided by STEM industry professionals. Students can choose which workshops to attend, and start making friends and connections to grow throughout the year.

Monthly Events

Monthly Events: Our students keep learning and stay connected through monthly workshops and group mentorships throughout the school year. With flexibility and empowerment in mind, our program allows students to choose the workshops and opportunities that work for them, on their schedules.

Discord Channel

Discord Channel: Students can stay connected whenever and wherever by chatting on our brand-new Discord channel, to be launched in the 2022/2023 program year. Make friends and hear about exclusive opportunities for further education.

Content Library

Content Library: Our library of past workshops is available on-demand for all our students! Watch a previous workshop from a past year, or catch up on a recent event you weren’t able to attend live. Topics include everything from designing your own video game to advocating for diversity in the workplace.

Who We Serve

We work with 8th- to 12th-grade girls and non-binary students. Any student who identifies with a marginalized gender is welcome to apply to our program, including transgender students of any gender expression or identity.

Our nomination and recruiting practices prioritize supporting further-underserved students in STEM, including students of color (particularly Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous students), LGBTQ+ students, and low-income students.

Every effort is made to provide equipment, Spanish language support, and accommodations to those in need. Plus, we provide transportation assistance and food at all in-person events, offer child-care stipends for teen parents, and give out awesome prizes just for participating.

Learn more about inclusion at ChickTech

How we’re keeping students safe

Soon after the onset of COVID-19 in the spring of 2020, ChickTech shifted high school programming into an online space for the safety and well-being of students, volunteers, and the greater tech community.

In the 2022/2023 school year, ChickTech: High School will continue to offer virtual hands-on workshops and group mentorship opportunities for students across the United States (and around the world). We’re excited to offer in-person events and workshops in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; Denver, Colorado; and Austin, Texas this year, too!

Learn more about COVID-19 safety

Spread the Word!

We provide free, fun, and homework-free programs for girls and non-binary students in grades 8-12. Learn how you can spread the word about our workshops and mentorship events with our downloadable graphics and templates.

View our media kit

Volunteer to support ChickTech: High School

ChickTech is working to advance a diverse pipeline of girls and non-binary students into STEM careers, and we want YOU to get involved!

There are many ways to donate your time and expertise. You can help us coordinate in-person or virtual workshops, promote the program within your local community, and conduct outreach to high schools, to name a few roles. We can’t wait for you to join our community!

View volunteer opportunities

Austin 2017 High School Kickoff. Photo by Liz Lass.