Paid Summer Internships for High School Students: A Comprehensive Guide

Gaining real-world experience is invaluable for high school students exploring career paths and enhancing their college applications. Summer internships offer a unique opportunity to apply classroom knowledge, develop new skills, and explore various fields. Paid internships, in particular, provide the added benefit of financial compensation and increased competitiveness. This article provides a comprehensive overview of paid summer internships available for high school students, covering various fields and locations.

The Value of Internships

Internships serve as introductory work experiences in a professional career field, allowing students to gain insight and experience without the commitment of a degree. While some internships are unpaid, paid internships offer financial benefits and are often more competitive, making them a valuable addition to a college application. Internships provide a platform to explore a range of subjects, concepts, and fields, helping students make informed decisions about their future academic and career paths.

National Internship Programs

Several national programs offer paid summer internships for high school students across various fields:

1. Bank of America Student Leaders Program

This program selects approximately 300 high school juniors and seniors from diverse communities to work at local non-profit organizations. Interns develop leadership skills, learn about non-profit management, and engage in community service projects. The internship includes a week-long National Student Leadership Summit in Washington, DC, with travel, food, and accommodation covered by the bank.

Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors.
Program Dates: Varies by location, typically beginning shortly after the school year ends and lasting 8 weeks (including the trip to Washington, DC).
Location: Held across the country.

2. NASA Office of STEM Engagements (OSTEM) Internships

NASA's OSTEM program offers paid internships at its locations nationwide, providing opportunities to work on current agency projects under the guidance of a NASA mentor. Internships are available in various subjects, including space science, engineering, aeronautics, technology, space microbiology, ecology, and outreach and communications. Interns may design experiments, analyze data from space missions, or develop new technologies.

Read also: Entertainment Career Launchpad

Eligibility: Full-time high school students with a minimum 3.0 GPA and U.S. citizenship.
Program Dates: Summer (10 weeks), Fall (16 weeks), and Spring (16 weeks) sessions.
Location: Offered across NASA facilities.

3. KP Launch High School Internship Program at Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente offers an internship program that introduces students to professional work and career development in healthcare. Interns work alongside healthcare professionals and learn about various medical disciplines, such as nursing, pharmacy, and laboratory sciences. The program also explores the business and administration aspects of healthcare, offering experience in accounting, administration, and R&D. Interns receive an hourly wage and participate in weekly professional development workshops.

Program Dates: June 17 - August 2
Location: At a Kaiser Permanente Medical Center or business office closest to where you are.

4. NIH High School Summer Internship Program (HS-SIP)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH)'s HS-SIP provides an opportunity for students to explore biomedical research with scientists and mentors. This program involves participation in ongoing research projects, data analysis, and acquiring fundamental laboratory skills. Within the HS-SIP framework, two programs, namely the High School Scientific Training and Enrichment Program (HiSTEP) and HiSTEP 2.0, are detailed here. Partnering with research institutions, HiSTEP exposes participants to scientific investigations spanning disciplines. It offers not only an introduction to scientific, professional, and personal skills but also leadership training, wellness initiatives, and an exploration of STEM-M (science, technology, engineering, math, and medical) careers.

Eligibility: Students who are high school juniors or seniors at the time of application (or have recently graduated) and are 17 years or older on June 15 may apply.
Program Dates: Minimum 8 weeks in summer.
Location: Students have the option to select from various NIH campuses nationwide.

5. New York City Office of the Mayor Internship

The NYC Mayor’s Office Internship Program offers work assignments, government engagement, and service projects for students interested in the functioning of city governance and policy. Students can apply to the department of their choice. As an intern, you will collaborate with full-time staff at the office and work on projects such as research and data analysis, managing incoming inquiries, staffing events, and outreach initiatives.

Eligibility: Students who are 16 years or older, enrolled in high school or accepted to an undergraduate degree program, and New York City residents.
Program Dates: June - August (Summer term) | October - April (Fall-Spring term)
Location: New York City, New York

6. Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program

The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program, an 8-week program sponsored by the American Fisheries Society (AFS), is a summer internship focused on cultivating interest in fisheries and aquatic science among underrepresented groups. Each Hutton Scholar will be matched with a fisheries professional in their area who will be their mentor for the program. You will participate in resource conservation and management projects, learning how to conduct laboratory and field research.

Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who live and have residency in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Must be at least 16 years old by the application deadline.
Program Dates: The program start and end dates are flexible and determined by the student and their mentor. Typically, they are 8 weeks in the summer.
Location: It's based on your locality (Hutton aims to match students within a 45-minute commute of their home).

7. Meta Summer Academy

As a participant in the Meta Summer Academy, you will learn about practices in Meta be a part of its day-to-day environment. You will be expected to participate for 30 hours per week. You will be mentored by Meta Summer Academy mentors, who are Meta employees. The academy offers students a unique exposure to the tech industry.

Read also: Why Choose a Paid Internship?

Eligibility: High school sophomores with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 who are full-year residents of East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, or Redwood City.
Program Dates: June 17 - July 26
Location: Meta headquarters, Menlo Park, CA

8. Fred Hutch Summer High School Internship Program

The Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP) offers a competitive internship for rising 12th-grade students. The program is designed for students from underrepresented communities who are interested in biomedical science.

Regional and Local Internship Programs

In addition to national programs, numerous regional and local internships cater to high school students. These programs often provide opportunities to work in specific fields or industries within a particular geographic area.

California

L.A. Times High School Insider Internship (Los Angeles): Budding journalists can apply for the LA Times’ seven-week summer High School Insider program.
UCSF High School Intern Program (San Francisco): UCSF’s Science & Health Education Partnership (SEP) runs an 8-week paid biomedical research internship for San Francisco students.
NASA JPL & Aerospace Internships (Southern California): California is home to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab and several aerospace companies that offer high school opportunities.

Alabama

UAB Medicine Summer Health Internship (Birmingham): The University of Alabama at Birmingham offers research internships where high schoolers work with medical researchers and gain lab experience.
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Internships (Huntsville): NASA’s OSTEM program provides paid summer internships to high school students at sites like Marshall in Huntsville.
Alabama Power Workforce Internship (Selma): A local paid program in Selma that combines on-the-job work experience with academic support.

Alaska

Alaska Department of Fish & Game Internship (Statewide/Aniak River): Through Alaska EXCEL, high schoolers join biologists for an 11-day summer field internship on river ecology.
Foundation Health Partners “SHIP” (Fairbanks): The Summer High School Internship Program at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital gives rising seniors a 5-week rotation through hospital departments.
Alaska Native Science & Engineering Program (Anchorage): ANSEP’s Summer Bridge offers Alaska Native high school grads a paid summer internship in an engineering or science field, along with a scholarship.

Arizona

Mayo Clinic CARES Internship (Phoenix): A summer program at Mayo Clinic’s Phoenix hospital that introduces Arizona teens to healthcare careers.
UArizona KEYS Research Internship (Tucson): The Keep Engaging Youth in Science (KEYS) program is a 7-week research internship at University of Arizona’s BIO5 Institute.
Barrow Neurological Institute Summer Program (Phoenix): A highly regarded internship at Barrow Neurological Institute where Phoenix-area students 16+ spend 5 weeks in cutting-edge neuroscience labs.

Arkansas

UAMS Summer Research Internship (Little Rock): The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences hosts a summer research internship for high school juniors/seniors interested in science and healthcare.
Little Rock Career Climb (City of Little Rock Youth Program): Formerly the city’s Summer Youth Employment initiative, this program places local teens in paid summer jobs with partner businesses and city departments.
(Bonus - Southern Arkansas:) SAU Work Internship (Magnolia): Southern Arkansas University offers a summer internship for rising seniors (Upward Bound participants) to work on campus or with local businesses.

Specific Internship Examples

Here are some specific examples of paid summer internships for high school students:

14th St. Y (New York City): Offers paid camp counselor positions to high school students, with bus transportation provided from Brooklyn.
BRIC Arts (New York City): Invites high school students to support their summer enrichment program for middle school students interested in dance, media, and visual arts.
Futures and Options (New York City): Connects high school students ages 16 and up with substantive career-oriented paid work opportunities for 20+ hours per week during the summer months.
Girls Who Code (Nationwide): Runs a summer immersion program providing teenage young women with exposure to robotics, web design, app development, and career-focused mentoring.
GO Project (New York City): The GO Getter summer internship is an opportunity for high school students to learn and develop leadership skills while working with GO Project students in academic and/or enrichment classes.
FAST (Stanford): Funds a paid summer internship at Stanford for a few students to work on a research project with a mentor in a real Stanford lab.

Other Internship Opportunities

USSS Pathways Program: Through participation in the USSS Pathways Program, students gain insight into the nature and structure of the Secret Service while gaining valuable personal and professional skills.
Zuckerman Institute’s BRAINYAC (Brain Research Apprenticeships in New York at Columbia): This program connects NYC 10th and 11th graders with scientists for hands-on neuroscience research experiences.
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars Program: Offers valuable hands-on experiences working with full-time AFRL scientists and engineers on cutting-edge research and technology.
Hutton Program: A paid summer internship and mentoring program for high school juniors and seniors interested in pursuing natural resource and environmental management.
Scripps Translational Science Institute (STSI): Offers a Student Research Internship Program for highly motivated high school students.
Microsoft’s Discovery Program: In Microsoft’s Discovery Program, students will learn a lot about the world of computer science and programming.
The Smithsonian: Offers a wide variety of internship opportunities, ranging from centrally funded opportunities that place interns throughout the Smithsonian to specific opportunities available at each of the Smithsonian’s various museums, research centers, and other units.
NASA: Offers a multitude of internship opportunities for full-time high school students over 16 years of age.
Ladder Internships: Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students!
Princeton University: Princeton University offers a full-time research experience for students looking to enter STEM fields such as engineering and natural sciences.
Stanford University: This free two-week opportunity offered by Stanford University allows rising high school juniors and seniors to explore cutting-edge chemical research.

Tips for Finding and Securing Internships

Start Early: Application deadlines for summer internships can be as early as winter or spring, so plan ahead.
Research Opportunities: Explore various internship programs and identify those that align with your interests and skills.
Meet Eligibility Requirements: Ensure you meet the eligibility criteria for each program before applying.
Craft a Strong Application: Highlight your academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and relevant skills in your application.
Seek References: Obtain strong letters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or mentors who can speak to your abilities and potential.
Network: Attend career fairs, connect with professionals in your field of interest, and leverage your network to find internship opportunities.

Read also: The Debate Over NCAA Athlete Pay

tags: #paid #summer #internships #for #high #school