High School Summer Opportunities 

Being a part of A Better Chance gives our families access to a wide variety of options for summer opportunities. An important part of preparing for the college application process is to demonstrate the ability to manage free time well and so we encourage all of our Scholars to be involved in some form of summer programming each year. Good summer programs encourage our Scholars to learn new things about themselves and to explore unfamiliar activities.

Unlike the perceptible advantages that children gain from summer programs, the intangibles they accrue are hard to pin down. Our Scholars have done everything from working a summer job at a Fortune 500 corporation to traveling abroad for the summer, but many will share that their summers have had a powerful influence on their lives that stretches far beyond the activity itself.

All descriptions listed below, unless otherwise noted, come directly from the organizations whose links are provided. A Better Chance does not certify the accuracy of this relayed information.

Online Resources:

Cultural Resources Diversity Program A Program of the National Park Service
The Cultural Resources Diversity Program lists the websites of and contacts for other organizations that offer internship programs or that provide information on internships and summer employment in historic preservation, cultural resources, and related work.

Experiment in International Living A Program of World Learning
The Experiment in International Living offers dynamic summer programs for high school students in over 25 countries around the world. For over 70 years, Experiment programs have provided transformational learning experiences to tens of thousands of young people. These ground breaking summer abroad programs help students develop a profound understanding of a different culture, language, and world view, as well as the capacity to see their own lives and country in a much broader perspective.

International Youth Leadership
IYLI offers 4-week summer programs and an 8-day winter program in the Caribbean and Latin America. Building on the research and analytical skills they’ve fostered year-round, students are immersed in town or village life. They also learn about the work of international development organizations such as USAID and Africare. Upon their return, students incorporate what they have learned abroad by preparing school news articles, making presentations to youth organizations, to schools and other public forums. Students use these opportunities to break down barriers of mistrust and prejudice that separate people.

NASA Academy Alumni Association Internship Listings
Summer Opportunities for students interested in Math and Science

The Organization of Chinese Americans Internship Program Washington, DC
The OCA Internship Program provides work placements in the OCA national office in Washington, DC, in federal agencies, and on Capitol Hill. Internships are offered in the summer, fall, winter and spring.  The OCA also maintains a job bank and offers scholarships.

Pathways for Students and Recent Graduates to Federal Careers, The Pathways Programs offer clear paths to Federal internships for students from high school through post-graduate school and to careers for recent graduates, and provide meaningful training and career development opportunities for individuals who are at the beginning of their Federal service.

Young Ambassadors Program
Become part of a once-in-a-lifetime, transforming experience. Apply for the Young Ambassadors Program, a paid Smithsonian summer leadership and internship program that is inspiring, innovative, enlightening, and engaging
Who? Graduating high school seniors with a commitment to the arts, sciences, or humanities as it pertains to Latino communities
What? Week-long, all-expenses paid training seminar and a four-week internship with a $2,000 program stipend
Where?  Washington D.C. and internships in 16 regions across the U.S. and Puerto Rico
When? June 24-August 3, 2012
Why? Opportunity to explore various career paths, embrace your own cultural heritage, and gain practical skills and intellectual growth 

Regional Opportunities:

The Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars Program, Washington, DC
Through the nine-week program (June 1 - July 30, 2004), Scholars gain knowledge about federal legislative procedure and health policy issues, while further developing their critical thinking and leadership skills. In addition to an internship in a congressional office, Scholars participate in seminars and site visits to augment their knowledge of health care issues, and write and present a health policy research paper. The program is based at Howard University.

The Breakthrough Collaborative, Various locations
Breakthrough is a tuition-free program in which talented high school and college students teach middle school students with limited educational opportunities the academic, organizational and social skills they will need to succeed in competitive high schools.

Duke TIP, Various locations
Duke TIP Summer and Weekend Programs provide academic year and summertime opportunities to satisfy the intellectual appetites of academically talented students throughout their secondary school years. Duke TIP offers learning opportunities for a range of ages in a variety of settings.

High School Journalism Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
This institute is designed for high school students who have accepted a position on their newspaper, television, or yearbook staff or simply want to learn about journalism. Students examine the role of the media, analyze their own school publications, and develop the skills and understanding that will prepare them to meet the challenges of producing quality publications.
 

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office, New York, NY
The Manhattan DA's Office invites residents of Manhattan between the ages of 14 and 17 to apply for their summer internship program. Contact the Community Affairs Unit of the District Attorneys Office at (212) 335-9082 for an application. Students will be asked to send a resume and an essay explaining their interest in law to: Community Affairs Unit, NY County District Attorney's Office, 1 Hogan Pl., Rm. 824, NY, NY 10013. Applications are due no later than April 9. Interviews for those who submit these materials will be scheduled through April 23.

National Institutes of Health Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research, Bethesda, MD
This program enables students who have a strong interest in pursuing studies related to biomedical or behavioral research, including the disciplines of biology, chemistry, physical science, psychology, computer science, biostatistics, mathematics, and biomedical engineering to receive a research experience at the NHLBI. All positions are open to students who are U.S. citizens or have permanent resident status. High school students should be at least 16 years old prior to June 1 and applicants must be enrolled full-time.

NFL Summer Internships, New York, NY
Send your resume to Resumes@NFL.com. Enter "Summer Internship" in the subject line.

The Princeton Prize in Race Relations, Boston, MA and Washington, DC
In order to recognize, support, and encourage the young people of our country who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing the cause of relations among the races, Princeton University is sponsoring a new awards program for high school students -- the Princeton Prize in Race Relations. In this first year of the program, applications postmarked by January 31, 2004, will be eligible for prizes including cash awards up to $1,000 for particularly noteworthy work which will be presented in the spring of 2004.

Program for Women in Science and Engineering Iowa State University, Ames, IA
This six-week Program for Women in Science and Engineering Internship is open to students who are interested in careers in science and engineering. The internships are open to students between their junior and senior year of high school; participants must be at least 15 years of age at the time of the internship. While internship opportunities may
be available in other areas, the majority of the internships for summer 2004 will be in the Colleges of Engineering and Agriculture.

The Ronald McDonald House Charities, Various locations
Various scholarships designed to assist students who face a widening education gap. The goal of the program is to provide scholarships to graduating high school seniors who may need a hand getting and staying in college. Local chapters of RMHC operate the scholarship programs in their respective geographic areas with support from the global office of RMHC, local McDonald's restaurants, and other businesses and organizations in the community.

Sewanee UniversityBridge Program
This program is a three-week residential experience for 20 rising high school seniors (current juniors). Applicants should be interested in pursuing science and/or mathematics. Every Bridge Program graduate who applied to and is granted admission to Sewanee will receive $10,000.00 in financial aid assistance to attend the University. For more information, visit www.sewanee.edu/bridgeprogram, call the director Robin Hille Michaels at 931-598-1997, or email her at rhille@sewanee.edu.

Peterson's Online Summer Opportunity Bank
Since 1966, Peterson's has helped to connect individuals, educational institutions, and corporations through its critically acclaimed books, Web sites, online products, and admissions services. Peterson's reaches an estimated 105 million consumers annually with information about colleges and universities, career schools, graduate programs, distance learning, executive training, private secondary schools, summer opportunities, study abroad, financial aid, test preparation, and career exploration.