Crunch Club
Powered by Bridge for All x Crunch Labs x Breakthrough Silicon Valley
Where First-Gen Students Become Future Engineers
Crunch Club is an afterschool STEM program created by Bridge for All in collaboration with Mark Rober’s Crunch Labs and Breakthrough Silicon Valley. It’s a joyful, hands-on experience designed to spark curiosity and confidence in first-generation middle school students through physics, AI, and teamwork.
What Students Do
Students dive into weeks of engineering fun—from building gear-driven gadgets to exploring futuristic AI concepts like deepfakes and machine learning. We use:
- Crunch Labs’ Hack Packs (yes, those kits)
- MIT-AI and Stanford-AI curriculum
- Near-peer coaching from high school robotics champions
And we keep it fun: snacks, raffles, prizes, and a real sense of belonging.
Why We Started Crunch Club
Three friends (Aiden, Samuel, & Vedant) co-founded Bridge for All — a nonprofit devoted to building equitable pathways to opportunity.
Aiden had the chance to test inventions at Crunch Labs with Mark Rober’s team, which was an incredible experience. But as he worked there, he kept thinking about their Breakthrough students, who deserved that same hands-on learning opportunity.
When he realized their first-gen students weren’t getting access to the same resources, he knew they had to do something about it. Crunch Club is their way of bringing state-of-the-art STEM learning to the students who need it most.
The Impact So Far
Our pilot program launched at Hoover Middle School, bringing together Breakthrough Silicon Valley students from across multiple campuses. With a strong foundation of mentorship and energy, Crunch Club made an immediate impact.
Elite Youth Mentors
TKA Robotics leaders, including those who met Mark Rober
Bellarmine coaches from a five-time world champion FRC team
10 trained student instructors from Bridge for All
Engaging STEM Curriculum
Hands-on builds using Crunch Labs Hack Packs
Simplified lessons from MIT-AI and Stanford-AI
Tangible projects combined with real-world AI topics
Strong Student Response
100% of attendees would recommend to a friend
Highlights included building, coaching, and community
Students reported increased interest in STEM and engineering
What Students Are Saying
Hear what students shared about their Crunch Club sessions.
Our Vision
Crunch Club is just getting started. Our goal is to expand across the Bay Area and beyond, bringing STEM equity to Title I schools and underrepresented communities. Because when we invest in joyful, inclusive STEM learning, we empower the next generation of builders and thinkers.
Our Partners & Supporters
Breakthrough Silicon Valley prepares highly-motivated students to become the first in their family to graduate from college, and inspires emerging leaders to be the next generation of educators and student advocates.
Crunch Labs is a small team of fun-loving engineers, designers and makers led by Mark Rober, their Head EnginNerd & former NASA engineer.
Support the Movement
Want to support Crunch Club or bring it to your school?