I'd also issue a caution about such programs-- do some digging.
Often they are "housed" within a STEM department affiliated with a local university, all right, but the people actually RUNNING the programs are Education department (or not even that), and the ones in classes with students may even be undergraduate work-study types.
So investigate carefully. Our local one has a
wide range of what I'd call genuinely meaningful educational activities. Some of them were great (Lego Robotics, Programming classes), and others were totally lame (Science Camp for girls) but at least in the latter case, my DD met another HG student, so it wasn't a complete waste-- she is still friends with her 5 years later.
Chess clubs can be a great outlet-- you may even get lucky and find that such a thing is all-ages and free.
Our parks department has some pretty interesting offerings at WAY lower cost-- including a parent-and-youth balsa glider/model airplane class. My DH and DD took that one together and REALLY had a blast with the physics concepts.
