Sandia National Laboratories is reviving its Hands-on Minds-on Technology Program — HMTech — this summer, with 120 students in sixth through 12th grade set to participate across two weekends in June at Del Norte High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The sessions mark the program’s 40th anniversary year, with the formal milestone falling in 2026.
Program returns with 120 students across two June weekends
HMTech holds a notable distinction at Sandia: it is the longest-running education outreach program the laboratory has ever operated. That record reflects decades of sustained volunteer effort and genuine institutional commitment to youth STEM education.
Sessions are scheduled for June 13 and 27 at Del Norte High School, located at 5323 Montgomery Boulevard NE in Albuquerque. The multi-weekend format gives students repeated exposure to hands-on learning rather than a single visit — each running from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., a full day working alongside Sandia staff volunteers.
All 120 enrolled students span grades 6 through 12, covering early adolescence to the edge of college. That breadth is deliberate. Reaching students before they make decisions about coursework or career paths sits at the center of what HMTech is actually trying to do.
Program’s origins trace to underrepresentation concerns in the 1970s
HMTech did not emerge from a formal institutional mandate. A small group of Sandia employees launched a precursor effort in the 1970s, driven by a straightforward concern: local students from underrepresented backgrounds were not seeing themselves reflected in science and engineering fields.
That grassroots beginning eventually grew into something more structured. The 40th anniversary milestone falls in 2026, meaning HMTech has been running in its current form for nearly four decades — with roots stretching back even further.
The volunteer model has always been central to the program’s identity. Instructors are selected in part for their ability to connect with the student population they serve, and the goal is not simply to teach content. Making the people behind STEM visible and approachable to young participants matters just as much.
Sessions cover topics from robotics and AI to genetics and cybersecurity
The 2026 curriculum spans 12 distinct topic areas — a deliberate effort to show students how wide the STEM landscape actually is. Sessions include robot design and programming, cybersecurity concepts, a Python arcade workshop, an introduction to aerospace, and understanding genetic code.
One session stands out for its timeliness: “Chat-to-agentic modeling — conforming AI to you.” The title reflects current developments in artificial intelligence and signals that HMTech updates its content to stay current with emerging fields rather than recycling the same material year after year.
Other sessions take a more applied or experimental approach. “Fermentation and carbon dioxide measurements” and “STEM in the garden” anchor scientific concepts in tangible, everyday contexts, while “circuit playground” and “exploring the human body” round out a curriculum built to demonstrate that STEM is as creative as it is technical.
The breadth of topics is not incidental. Volunteers and organizers want students to leave with a clearer sense of what a career in science or technology could actually look like — well beyond laboratory coats and equations.
Sandia staff volunteers cite personal impact as motivation
For some volunteers, HMTech is more than a community service commitment. It is personal.
Sean Harris, a Sandia information technology and cybersecurity senior manager, traces his own career path directly to the program. “HMTech played a pivotal role in sparking my passion for STEM at an early age,” Harris said. His connection runs deep — his family was involved in co-founding the program. “I credit HMTech for helping shape my career,” he added.
Harris also frames the program’s value in broader terms. “It’s inspiring to see this program empower young students, especially those who might not often see themselves represented in STEM, to explore, learn and envision their own futures in science and technology,” he said.
Shaina Saint-Lot, a Sandia procurement manager, volunteers from a different but equally personal angle. “I volunteer for HMTech because I wish I’d been a student in this program,” she said. “STEM is far more creative and exciting than I ever realized, and I don’t want kids to miss that discovery.”
Media are invited to attend both June sessions at Del Norte High School. The core facts remain simple: HMTech is Sandia’s longest-running youth outreach effort, 120 students will participate this summer, and the program’s 40th formal anniversary arrives in 2026 — a milestone built on nearly five decades of work to make STEM accessible to students who might otherwise never find their way into it.
