Countdown to Summer: Free Summer Programs for Teens
What are your teenage students (or children) doing this summer? Why not investigate some of the hundreds of free summer programs for teens? Twenty of them are highlighted here.
Summer time and the living is easy…..or is it? Does the thought of summer and ten…count them…TEN weeks with your children home send shivers down your spine? Is enrichment preferred, but the thought of an expensive summer camp simply out of the question? Well, there are other options. Summer programs are out there, excellent ones, that are free or actually PAY your child to attend. These are excellent educational opportunities and, incidentally, look super when placed on a college application.
Here are some of the programs I've discovered:
Future Life Science Scholars Program Auburn University in Alabama pays, yes, PAYS students $3,000 to attend their Future Life Science Scholars Program from June 17-August 7. They are looking for students who are currently high school 10th through 12th graders or college freshman through juniors. The program is designed to link students with science mentors whose research focus closely coincides with the students' interests. Students also listen to lectures by world-class scientists. If your child is interested in science, this could be a wonderful opportunity. Selection for the program is based on transcript, personal essay, recommendations, GPA, class rank, and SAT or ACT scores. For more information contact Dr. R. Lishak, at (334)844-3928 or Email him at lishars@mail.auburn.edu.
Talented 11th grade art students might consider attending Colorado College's free two-week seminar. Artists in residence there provide college-level drawing and painting classes. Included are trips to draw and paint in the Rocky Mountains. Nanette Tirado at (719)635-3220 is the contact.
Mississippi University for Women -- yes, they do accept men -- offers students currently in the 11th grade the opportunity to earn nine hours of college credit in four weeks. The program is free. Criteria for selection includes application, recommendation, transcript, and a minimum 1130 SAT or 25 ACT score. Contact the Office of Admissions by Email admissions@muw.edu for information.
The Research Science Institute (RSI) at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers 11th and 12th graders six-weeks of lectures, tutoring, and off-campus internships in scientific fields.
Participants may be matched with leading scientists from MIT and Harvard. Criteria for selection includes an application, transcript, essay, recommendations, and PSAT score. For information contact Ms. Maite
Ballestero (703)488-9062. MIT also provides 11th-grade minorities with a six-week introduction to engineering and science designed to help them develop scientific and engineering skills in a university environment. This program, the Minority Introduction to Engineering and Science (MITES) program, has the same criteria for acceptance as the RSI program. Information about the MITES program may be obtained at Web site http://me.mit.edu/groups/mites/.
Earthwatch provides 11th graders gifted in the arts or humanities opportunities to go to different laboratories and field stations in North America for two weeks of scientific investigation. Past sites have included Woods Hole, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Kitt Peak National Observatory, and Stanford Human Genome Center near San Francisco. Criteria for acceptance is teacher or mentor nomination and application. For information contact Dee Robbins at her Web site: http://www.earthwatch.org
BIONR, a program at Florida A & M University, is a five-week intense science program for students currently in grades 9-12. Criteria for
selection includes application, essay, recommendations, transcript, GPA, and test scores on the SAT or ACT. For information contact Edna Cofield or Dr. L. Padmore by Email at lpadmore@NS1-famu.edu.
PROGRAMS TO ENCOURAGE MINORITIES
TO EXPLORE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
For American Indians Seventh to eleventh graders of American Indian ancestry interested in science or engineering could contact Ms. Celeste Friend at (303)939-0023 ext.28 or Email her at aisespc@pot.colorado.edu. This six-week program, which provides participants opportunities to interact with American Indian role models in the sciences, engineering, and mathematics-related fields, is offered in Wisconsin, New Mexico, Alaska, North Carolina, Iowa, New York, and Colorado. Additionally, Oklahoma's four-week Futures in Science for Native Americans Program is for 8th- and 9th-grade Native Americans interested in science. In addition to studying, students will visit the Red Earth Festival, powwows, and interact with Native American faculty. Criteria for selection is transcript, essay, recommendations, test scores, and a copy of BIA card or other proof of Native American status. For information contact Dr. W. Wade by Email at
billw@okway.okstate.edu.
The Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, offers a program for 11th-grade minorities interested in engineering. The contact for this one-week program is LTJG Dulani Woods, 800-333-8724 or Email
uscgatr@dcseq.uscga.edu. In this case the Coast Guard Academy not only pays all expenses for the program but also covers the students' traveling costs.
The University of Delaware's program for 10th- and 11th-grade African-Americans, Native Americans, and Hispanics interested in the field of engineering provides participants with academic enrichment in the field. Again, criteria for this program is the application, transcript, essay, recommendations, test scores, and GPA. For more information about this academic program, contact Mr. Michael Vaughan at his Web site, http://www.udel.edu/engg.
The Summer Science Program at Southern University in Shreveport, Louisiana, is a six-week program for 8th- through 11th-grade minority students interested in science, engineering, allied health, and other professional careers. Louisiana's program includes tutoring, standardized test preparation, and scientific skills development. Criteria for acceptance is application, transcript, essay, recommendation, and GPA. Mr. Warner Brown at (318)674- 3409 is the contact.
PROGRAMS TO ENCOURAGE WOMEN TO EXPLORE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
WISE program Ninth- through eleventh-grade females may opt to participate in the Illinois Institute of Technology's two-week WISE program (Women Interested in Science and Engineering). In this program, practicing women scientists and engineers lead participants in hands-on lab experiences. For information about the Illinois program, contact N. Zagorski by Email at sis_normani@vaxi.ais.iit.edu. There is also a one-week program for minorities at Michigan Technological University. In this program, sessions are led by practicing minority scientists and engineers. For information about Michigan's program contact Kerry Hicks at his Web site, http://www.yth.mtu.edu/syp. Criteria for selection in both programs includes application, transcript, recommendations, GPA, and test scores. Minnesota offers a National Science Foundation program targeted for, but not limited to 8th- and 9th-grade women and minorities interested in math and/or science. Criteria for selection is application, essay, recommendation, and GPA. Contact Dr. Robert Johnson by E-mail: minstudy@stcloudstate.edu.
Christian Brothers University A five-week program at Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tennessee, permits 10th- and 11th-grade females and underrepresented minorities interested in math and engineering to take selected courses in math and engineering for college credit. Criteria for selection includes application, recommendations, ACT>20 for 11th graders, and completion of Algebra II. Although the program provides tuition, books, and lodging, the student is responsible for the cost of meals (approximately $300-$400). Contact Dr. S. Malasri by Email at ddluhos@odin.cbu.edu for information.
GOVERNOR'S HONOR PROGRAMS
Most states also offer Governor's Honors Programs, but not all are free. Free ones are listed below:
Arkansas students currently in grades 6-11 who have exceptional ability in science, math, computers, social science, arts and music, literature and communications, or foreign languages may attend a two- to three-week summer program that is absolutely free. For information contact Ms. Ann Biggers, Email abiggers@arkedu.k12.ar.us.
Georgia An application, teacher recommendations, and an interview are Georgia's criteria for tenth and eleventh graders to enter their free program. The contact is Dr. Joe Searle, Email jsearle@doe.k12.ga.us.
Other States:
Kentucky Criteria for Kentucky's free program for students currently in the 11th grade include application, essay, recommendations, transcript, GPA, and scores on the PSAT, SAT, or ACT. North Dakota's free six-week math and science program for 10th and 11th graders has the same criteria for selection, as does Pennsylvania's free five-week program for 11th graders interested in science, and Tennessee's free four-week science program for 10th and 11th graders. For information:
New Jersey Criteria for New Jersey's free arts program for 11th graders includes application, essay, recommendation, gifted and talented placement, interview, audition, and sample of work. New Jersey's program is comprised of five separate divisions: creative writing, dance, music, theater, and the visual arts. If interested, contact William Glenn at (609)771-3114.
North Carolina's is the oldest statewide summer residential program for the academically gifted in the nation. Criteria for this eclectic month-long program for 11th graders includes a school's nomination. The program offers a non-credit curriculum for 800 students in three areas. One area includes academics and performing/visual arts. Another, concentrating on abstract ideas, includes the study of philosophy, epistemology, ethics, and aesthetics. A third is a study of values, morals, thinking processes, and social and personal development. Contact the Governor's School of North Carolina at (919)715-1994 for information. North Carolina offers an additional four-week program for 10th and 11th graders precocious in math and science, the Summer Ventures in Science and Math (SVSM) Program. Selection is based on application, transcript, essay, test scores, and GPA. For information about SVSM contact Ms. Sally Adkin at her Web site: http://www.ncssm.edu.
South Carolina's six-week science and math program for 11th graders allows participants to conduct research with professionals as mentors. For information Email Mr. Bob Trowell at bob_trowell@scgssm.coker.edu.
Virginia sponsors five different summer programs for precocious 10th and 11th graders: one in the humanities, one in visual and performing arts, one in math and science, mentorships in medicine, and mentorships in engineering and oceanography. Selection is based on the application, recommendations, test scores, gifted and talented placement, and audition and/or sample of work. The contact is the local gifted program administrator.
West Virginia provides two programs. Tenth and eleventh graders talented in the arts (dance, theater, music, visual art) qualify for this program on the basis of regional and state level auditions. In the academic program students enroll in two courses from offerings in the arts, humanities, math, and science. Criteria for acceptance is similar to that in other Governor's programs: application, transcript, essay, recommendations, GPA, test scores. Contact Dr. Virginia Simmons at Email vsimmons@access.k12.wv.us for information.
Besides Alabama's, the first program listed, here is a list of several other programs that PAY students to attend.
- In Iowa, girls in the 11th grade who are interested in science or engineering can receive a $1,500 stipend to attend Iowa State's six-week internship program. There they conduct hands-on research with a major professor or scientist. Though students pay no tuition, they do pay room and board. Selection is based on the application, recommendations, essay, transcript, and GPA and PSAT scores. Contact Karen Lind by Email at pwse@iastate.edu.
- Penn State University offers a four-week science and technology program to 11th-grade students of color interested in business, engineering, or science. Criteria for selection into the Business Engineering Science and Technology (BEST) program includes application, transcript, essay, recommendation, gifted and talented classification, and test scores. Students must also be residents of Pennsylvania or Rochester, NY. The goal of this program is to expose participants to business, science, and engineering opportunities at Penn State and to career opportunities with Eastman Kodak Company. Upon completion of the program, students will receive a stipend. For more information contact Saudra Johnson at her Web site: http://www.engr.psu.edu/mep.
- Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, offers a six-week program for 8th- through 11th-grade African-American students interested in science. Students are paid at an hourly rate while they learn how to conduct biomedical research. Criteria for selection is the application, transcript, essay, recommendations, interview, and GPA. For information about this program, contact Mr. Fredrick Hamilton by Email at hamilt95@ccvax.mmc.edu.
Many of the programs mentioned have select criteria for admittance, such as minority status or state residence. Others are trying to attract women to the sciences. Some, like Alabama's program, do not require residence or target specific under-represented groups and they also PAY the students to attend. New programs gain and lose funding yearly, but with some research, you can find your child golden summer opportunities. There are groups available to help parents find college scholarship money. Guidance counselors aid students in college scholarship searches, but to my knowledge there is no group to help parents discover summer programs, and there needs to be.
Article by Glori Chaika
Education World®
Copyright © 1998 Education World
05/11/1998
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