Yale Young Global Scholars – Politics, Law & Economics
A highly selective two-week residential summer program at Yale (14,000+ applicants for the full program) in which high schoolers take the Politics of Law & Economics (PLE) academic track alongside Innovations in Science & Technology and Solving Global Challenges tracks, across three summer sessions.
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Service Learning in Public Policy (SLiPP)
A week-long immersive summer program at Founding Forward's Valley Forge, PA campus for students entering 9th-11th grade, combining public-policy coursework, hands-on service-learning projects, and college-prep workshops across four tracks: Environment & STEM Policy, Healthcare Policy, Legal Policy, and Media & Communications Policy. The 2026 session runs July 26-31.
UC Berkeley Pre-College Scholars – Political Science & Government Courses
High school students who have completed 10th or 11th grade can enroll in lower-division UC Berkeley Summer Sessions courses, including political science and government offerings, through the Commuter Track for Bay Area residents, earning official UC Berkeley transcript credit alongside undergraduates.
American Legion Boys Nation
One of the most selective civic-education programs in the country: two delegates chosen from each state's American Legion Boys State program (about 100 nationally from a pool of 20,000+ Boys State participants) travel to Washington, D.C. to serve a week as mock U.S. senators, drafting bills, holding committee hearings, and meeting elected officials.
Academic WorldQuest
A fast-paced team trivia competition for high school students testing knowledge of international politics, geography, global economics, history, and world cultures; teams first compete in local contests hosted by roughly 30 World Affairs Councils nationwide before winners advance to the national championship in Washington, D.C. each April.
Debating Matters: Transatlantic (Bill of Rights Institute)
A four-day in-person debate program that brings together U.S. and U.K. high school students in London for structured transatlantic debate on contemporary issues, run by the Bill of Rights Institute.
JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest
Students write an essay analyzing an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official since 1917, competing for cash prizes.