Free Research Programs for High School Students
EC Finder currently lists 412 free research programs for high school students. Of these, 165 offer virtual participation and 407 list a specific application deadline. Examples include A.C.T. Young Conservatory, Access/VSA Playwright Discovery Program, and ACE Mentor Program - San Francisco Bay Area.
- 412
- listed
- 386
- free
- 165
- virtual
- 407
- with a listed deadline
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are free research programs for high school students?
- Free Research Programs for High School Students are curated extracurricular listings for high school students. Each listing includes eligibility, cost, and deadline details where known, so you can compare options and find the right fit for your college application profile.
- When are the application deadlines?
- 407 of the 412 research programs listed here have a specific deadline month noted. Deadlines vary by program, so check each listing for exact dates.
- Are these research programs free?
- Yes, this page only shows free opportunities. EC Finder also lists both free and paid options if you want to compare.
- Can I participate virtually?
- Yes — 165 of the 412 research programs listed here offer virtual or online participation.
Related Categories
412 activities found·Browse by category
A.C.T. Young Conservatory
Students take theater training classes (acting, musical theater, ensemble work) culminating in public performance; no audition required.
Access/VSA Playwright Discovery Program
HS writers with disabilities submit a ten-minute script; winners receive stipends and join a script-development program with theater pros, including Kennedy Center activities.
ACE Mentor Program - San Francisco Bay Area
A free after-school mentorship program pairing Bay Area high school students (grades 9-12) with volunteer architects, engineers, and contractors. Teams work through mock building-design projects, visit real job sites and professional offices, and present their solutions at a year-end showcase.
ACEing Autism
Tennis and social skills program for children with autism where high school volunteers serve as peer mentors, helping participants develop tennis skills, social connections, and confidence in a supportive environment. Volunteers gain leadership experience and understanding of autism spectrum disorders.
ACS ChemClub
American Chemical Society's national program supporting extracurricular high school chemistry clubs, offering hands-on activities, career exploration, and scholarship eligibility.
Active Minds High School Chapter Network
A national network of 500+ peer-led mental health advocacy chapters, including high school chapters, where students raise awareness, reduce stigma, and organize campus mental health initiatives.
Adirondack Youth Climate Summit
An immersive two-day climate-leadership experience where students from Northern New York create individualized Climate Action Plans through workshops and plenary sessions, part of a growing network of youth climate summits nationwide.
Aequora Latin Program at St. Francis High School (Paideia Institute)
A Sacramento after-school program, part of the Paideia Institute's national Aequora initiative, where a high school student site coordinator and volunteers teach Latin literacy, grammar, and Roman culture to local middle schoolers. Billed as the Sacramento area's first free Latin program.
AFMS Future Rockhounds of America Badge Program
Self-paced badge-based earth science/lapidary curriculum through rock/mineral clubs.
AI4ALL@UW Data Science Workshop
A free 20-week introductory data science and machine learning workshop from the University of Washington's AI4ALL chapter for rising high school juniors/seniors and college freshmen, emphasizing collaborative learning and disability-informed perspectives on bias and fairness in AI.
Alameda County Youth Poet Laureate
Young poets ages 13-18 in Alameda County are selected as Laureate ambassadors, performing at public events and leading community poetry projects for a one-year term.
Alameda Family Services Youth Advisory Board
A youth advisory board run through Alameda Family Services' school-based health centers, where Alameda Unified School District high school students identify and address topics such as mental health, sexual health, healthy relationships, and body image.
Alamo Women's Club Hearts of Gold Scholarship
Local scholarship recognizing service-oriented students.
Alliance for Climate Education (ACE) Action Fellowship
Year-long climate advocacy training fellowship, run by Action for the Climate Emergency (formerly Alliance for Climate Education), for students ages 14-18 to build organizing and leadership skills and run carbon-cutting campaigns at their schools.
American Red Cross Bay Area/North Bay Red Cross Clubs
Student-led Red Cross Clubs at Northern California Coastal Region high schools, where teens ages 13-18 organize service projects, blood drives, and disaster-preparedness education for their campus and community, building leadership skills with minimal adult oversight.
Amnesty International USA High School Student Group
Students start or join an official Amnesty International USA youth group at their high school to research human rights issues and take collective action through campaigns, petitions, letter-writing, and educational events.
AOPA High School Aviation STEM Initiative
A free national aviation membership and curriculum initiative from the AOPA Foundation, giving students ages 13-20 access to a six-course pilot/drone STEM curriculum, scholarships, and a magazine subscription, either through their school or independently.
APA TOPSS Competition for HS Psychology Students
Students create a short video applying psychological science to a real-world topic (2026 theme: AI in learning), citing research, for national recognition and scholarships.
APS (American Physical Society) High School Teacher-Student Workshops
Regional workshops where students work with physicists on current research topics and experiments.
Arapahoe Rescue Patrol
All-volunteer search and rescue organization in Arapahoe County, Colorado, composed entirely of high school students who provide free search, rescue, and emergency services since 1957. Members complete 100+ hours of basic training (including 24 classroom hours and two 48-hour weekend field sessions) followed by a 6-month probationary period, then respond to rock climbing rescues, winter and avalanche operations, wilderness first aid, and support local law enforcement and fire departments. Recruiting opens in spring.
Art Students League of Denver – Teen Studio
Drop-in studio program at the Art Students League of Denver for teens ages 14-17 every Friday night. Participants get free access to high-quality art supplies and guidance from professional faculty artists across drawing, painting, printmaking, and mixed media.
ASCM Supply Chain STEM Educational Outreach Program
The Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM) offers a free K-12 outreach curriculum connecting core STEM concepts to real supply chain and logistics careers, delivered by volunteers or teachers in classrooms, clubs, or community organizations to build early awareness of the field.
Asian Art Museum – Volunteer Program
The Asian Art Museum in San Francisco offers volunteer roles supporting exhibitions, education programs, and visitor services; teens can assist with events and family programs, gaining museum-arts experience and service hours.
Asian Liver Center – High School/Youth Volunteering (Stanford)
The Asian Liver Center offers youth volunteer roles in community outreach/events (health fairs, cultural festivals), social media, and advocacy projects around hepatitis B and liver cancer; hours can count toward service awards and you can help with future Youth Leadership Conferences.
ASME High School Scholarship
An annual scholarship from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for graduating high school seniors committed to enrolling in an ABET-accredited mechanical engineering program, awarding $2,000-$5,000 based on demonstrated financial need, STEM involvement, and academic standing.
ASME INSPIRE / Charles W.E. Clarke Scholarship
ASME's INSPIRE program awards twenty-five $2,000 Charles W.E. Clarke scholarships to graduating high school seniors with financial need who plan to enroll in an ABET-accredited mechanical engineering program.
Aviation Discovery Day (Reid-Hillview Airport)
A free annual career-exploration event at San Jose's Reid-Hillview Airport where high schoolers meet aviation professionals, tour aircraft, and learn about pilot, mechanic, air traffic control, and airport operations careers.
Bank of America Financial Skills Challenge
A free online financial simulation game, developed with Stock-Trak, in which middle and high school students progress through college and early-career life stages while learning to budget, build savings, manage credit, and file taxes.
Bay Area Financial Education Foundation Workshops
A San Francisco Bay Area nonprofit that sends volunteer financial professionals into schools and community organizations to lead free, interactive workshops on budgeting, investing, and credit for students, delivered on request as part of teachers' regular coursework.
Bay Area Youth Leadership Corps
Free, year-long program for HS sophomores-seniors starting with a 14-day Sierra backpacking expedition, then designing/leading monthly environmental service projects across the Bay Area.
Bay Area Youth Orchestra Festival (BAYOF)
Annual festival bringing together top regional youth orchestras (including SFSYO, Young People's Symphony Orchestra, etc.) for a combined concert at Davies Symphony Hall.
Bay Net Volunteer Naturalist Program – Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Trained volunteer docents (age 16+) engage the public at Monterey-area shoreline sites about marine mammals, birds, kelp forests, oceanography, and sanctuary regulations. Involves a five-week spring training (Thursday seminars plus Saturday field sessions) followed by ongoing shoreline shifts.
Beloved Arise Youth Alliance
A free national community for LGBTQ+ youth of faith and allies ages 14-24 to connect through a private Discord, share personal narratives, apply to become Youth Ambassadors, and lead micro-grant-funded community projects.
Bennington College Young Writers Awards
Students submit poetry, fiction, or nonfiction for national judging; winners earn cash prizes and scholarship eligibility, including a possible full-tuition Bennington scholarship.
Berkeley Animal Care Services Youth Volunteers
Animal shelter volunteer program where teens care for shelter animals, assist with adoptions, and support animal welfare programs. Volunteers gain hands-on experience with animal care and rescue operations.
Berkeley Linguistics – Prospective Student Information
UC Berkeley Linguistics department resources and information for prospective undergraduate students.
Berkeley Rep Teen Council
Student leaders from the Bay Area plan Teen Night programming, host an original-works showcase, and conduct artist interviews, with free access to shows/artists.
Berkeley Senior Center Volunteer Program
A City of Berkeley program where volunteers help at the North and South Berkeley Senior Centers and Meals on Wheels office with front-desk work, meal service, groceries, and activities; teens under 18 may volunteer with adult supervision.
Berkeley Youth Commission
An 18-member city commission (nine appointed by the Berkeley School Board, one by each City Council member) requiring at least half of its members to be middle or high school students; commissioners review and recommend youth services and programs and meet monthly at the MLK Jr. Youth Center.
Best Buddies High School Friendship Program (California)
A national program with active California high school chapters that pairs students with and without intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD) in one-to-one friendships. Buddy pairs commit to weekly contact and at least two in-person hangouts per month, alongside chapter-wide inclusive social events.
Big Data at Berkeley – High School Data Science Bootcamp
Big Data at Berkeley, a UC Berkeley student organization, runs a free 7-week Saturday bootcamp for high-school students interested in data science. Participants learn coding fundamentals, basic statistics, and how to use data science tools to solve real-world problems, all taught in person by Berkeley undergrads. During the program, students complete a project using real datasets and receive a certificate of completion, making it a strong, beginner-friendly tech EC.
Birch Aquarium at Scripps Volunteer Program
Teens 16+ volunteer as Tide Pool Interpreters/Greeters, later advancing to Aquarist Assistant or School Programs roles, supporting marine-science education and animal care.
Blackhawk Scholarship Fund
Local scholarship for graduating seniors based on academics, leadership, and service.
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula Youth Volunteers
Youth volunteer opportunities mentoring younger children in after-school programs, assisting with activities, and supporting club operations. Teens develop leadership while making a positive impact on youth.
Bread & Roses Presents
A Bay Area nonprofit that brings free live music, dance, and other performances to seniors and other isolated audiences at care facilities across eight counties; teen musicians and performers can apply to volunteer as performers or hosts.
Bring Change to Mind High School Program
Student-led club program reducing mental-illness stigma, with a $500 annual club grant.
BUILD: Bay Area Entrepreneurship Program
A national nonprofit founded in 1999 in East Palo Alto and expanded to Oakland in 2004, integrating a multi-year, project-based entrepreneurship curriculum into Career Technical Education pathways at Bay Area high schools, serving over 1,500 California students annually.
BUILD.org – BUILDFest LA Youth Pitch Competition
Students in BUILD's entrepreneurship pathway (FamBiz simulation, Design Challenge) launch real companies and pitch Shark-Tank-style before VIP judges; serves under-resourced Bay Area/LA students.
Cabin Leaders – John Baldwin 5th Grade Camp
HS students serve as cabin leaders and role models for 5th graders at outdoor school, supervising cabins and activities.
Cal Day at the Archaeological Research Facility (UC Berkeley)
An annual free open-house event where UC Berkeley's Archaeological Research Facility hosts lectures, panel discussions, lab tours, and hands-on activities (ceramic reconstruction, rock art painting, paleoethnobotany, career talks) for prospective students, families, and the community.
California Alliance for Jazz – BAM Scholarship
Scholarship for young Black American jazz musicians residing in California, supporting private lessons or music programs; awards range from $500-$1,000.
California Association of Youth Courts (CAYC)
HS volunteers serve as jurors, attorneys, bailiffs, and clerks in peer-run Youth Courts using restorative justice for young offenders.
California Association of Youth Courts (Teen Court)
70+ restorative-justice youth courts where trained teens serve as attorneys, jurors, and judges.
California Coastal Cleanup Day
Annual statewide volunteer event removing trash and debris from California's beaches, lakes, and waterways. Participants contribute to environmental protection and learn about marine conservation.
California DECA
State chapter of DECA preparing students for marketing, finance, hospitality, and management careers via school chapters and role-play/written competitive events.
California Department of Education Superintendent's Youth Advisory Council
A statewide council through which California public high school students (grades 9-12) advise the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and CDE staff on education policy affecting students, families, and schools; selected members receive a $500 stipend upon successful completion of the roughly four-month program.
California FBLA (State Leadership Conference)
State chapter of Future Business Leaders of America preparing students for business careers through chapters, competitive events, and leadership conferences.
California High School Democrats
The official high school wing of the California Young Democrats; members join or start local chapters to work on grassroots Democratic political activism at the state and local level, with access to an opportunities database and training resources.
California High School Republicans
A chartered branch of the California College Republicans/California Republican Party that recruits and trains high school students to campaign for Republican candidates and start school chapters, receiving a tabling kit and campaign-activism resources.
California Junior Classical League State Convention
California Latin/Classics students compete in academic tests, Certamen, and creative-arts contests at the annual statewide NJCL-affiliated convention.
California MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement)
A year-round college and career prep program, headquartered in Oakland since its 1970 founding at Oakland Technical High School, that serves over 350 middle and high schools statewide with engineering-focused enrichment activities that feed into MESA's community college and university tracks and the National Engineering Design Competition.
California State PTA Reflections Arts Program
Students create original work in one of six mediums (visual art, music composition, film, dance choreography, literature, photography) responding to an annual theme, advancing through school/district/state judging.
California State Thespian Festival
Inducted Thespians attend professional workshops, compete in dozens of individual performance/tech events, and audition for scholarships alongside 1,600+ CA Thespians.
California Student Mock Election
The California Student Mock Election, run by the Secretary of State's office, lets middle and high school students cast ballots in a statewide mock vote timed alongside real general elections, giving students hands-on experience with the voting process before they are eligible to vote.
California Youth Climate Policy Leadership Program (CYCP)
Sierra Club, Ten Strands, and UndauntedK12 program for California 9th-12th graders combining a summer retreat and monthly workshops with a mentored campaign to pass climate policy at their own school or district, plus a $500 stipend.
Caltech IQIM K-12 Programs
Caltech's Institute for Quantum Information and Matter runs on-campus quantum science outreach for K-12 students, including hands-on demonstrations, quantum gaming, and classroom visits from physics researchers.
Cantor Arts Center Volunteer
Volunteers serve as ambassadors at Stanford's Cantor Arts Center, greeting visitors and providing information about exhibitions and the museum's collection and history.
Carnegie Young Leaders for Civic Preparedness
A funded, year-long civic action program in which teams of five teens and young adults design and carry out a community-impact project, receiving stipends, coaching, and networking support.
CASMEC / California All-State Honor Ensembles
Top student musicians statewide, selected via regional auditions, rehearse 3 days under nationally recognized conductors and perform in All-State Band, Orchestra, or Choir.
Cedars-Sinai High School Student Volunteer Program
A structured hospital volunteer program in Los Angeles where teens ages 14-18 complete a minimum of 100 service hours assisting clinical and clerical staff across departments like nursing, admissions, and surgical units.
Center for Independent Living Youth Programs (Berkeley)
Berkeley's Center for Independent Living, birthplace of the disability rights movement, offers disabled youth ages 14-30 workshops on self-advocacy, adult mentorship, and a twice-monthly Youth Social Club (one in-person, one online session) for peer connection.
Center for Land-Based Learning FARMS Leadership Program
A year-long program for Sacramento-region high schoolers combining field days on farms, ranches, and agricultural businesses with leadership training, mentoring, and a student-led community action project in sustainable agriculture.
Chabot Space & Science Center – Galaxy Explorers
A Northern California teen volunteer program at Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland where high schoolers lead public astronomy and physics demonstrations, operate telescopes, and build job and public-speaking skills.
Chabot Space & Science Center Teen Volunteers
High school volunteers assist with educational programs, planetarium shows, exhibits, and special events. Teens gain STEM communication skills while inspiring younger visitors about space and science.
Chesapeake Bay Foundation Student Leadership Program
Year-round leadership program for 9th-12th graders living in the Chesapeake Bay watershed (MD, PA, VA, DC) combining field experiences, hands-on restoration service events, and legislative advocacy to protect the Bay.
Children's Hospital Colorado Junior Volunteer Program
Year-round and summer volunteer opportunities for teens 13-18 at Children's Hospital Colorado, with a six-month minimum commitment of three hours per week. Volunteers support hospital departments and family events; outstanding volunteers are recognized with two $2,500 Junior Volunteer Recognition Scholarships annually.
Chumash Indian Museum Volunteer Program
Volunteer roles in tours, gallery guides, and cultural education in Thousand Oaks, CA.
CISA Cybersecurity Career Resources
Government resources for exploring cybersecurity careers including scholarships, internships, and educational pathways.
Cisco Networking Academy - Cybersecurity Courses
Free online courses (Introduction to Cybersecurity, Cybersecurity Essentials) with hands-on labs and industry-recognized certifications.
City of San Jose Youth Commission
Official advisory body to San Jose City Council representing youth voices on city policies, programs, and services. Commissioners gain government experience while advocating for youth issues.
City of San Ramon – Volunteer Opportunities
Parks & Community Services roles at events, libraries, youth and recreation programs.
Cleveland Clinic Career Exploration & Shadowing Program
Lets high schoolers age 15 and up shadow Cleveland Clinic healthcare professionals for up to 20 observational hours a year, giving them a firsthand look at different medical career paths without hands-on patient contact.
Coca-Cola Scholars Program Scholarship
$20,000 college scholarship for graduating high school seniors based on leadership, service, and impact. 150 Coke Scholars chosen annually from a national applicant pool. Application opens August 1 and closes September 30 of senior year.
Code Blue Region President Program
Students start and lead local Code Blue chapters, organizing workshops and awareness campaigns on Hands-Only CPR, disaster preparedness, first aid basics, allergy response, and CPR/First Aid certification pathways; Region Presidents oversee chapter growth across their area.
Code.org Volunteer / Create CS Curriculum
Volunteer opportunity to help teach computer science to younger students or contribute to open-source CS education resources.
Coleman Advocates Youth Making a Change (YMAC)
A San Francisco youth-organizing program for middle and high schoolers who meet weekly at local schools to build leadership skills and campaign for policy change, including past wins like school Wellness Centers and SF Youth Vote.
Columbia Science Honors Program
Saturday enrichment program at Columbia University for NYC-area students; includes advanced physics courses.
Community Youth Courts (Contra Costa & Alameda)
A restorative-justice youth court run by youth, for youth, where trained teen volunteers serve as jurors, attorneys, clerks, and case managers for first-time juvenile offenders referred by schools and police in Southern Contra Costa and Alameda Counties.
Concord Senior Center Youth Volunteers
Intergenerational program where teens assist with senior activities, technology help, meal service, and special events. Youth build relationships with older adults while supporting senior services.
Conservation Corps (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance)
HS students in grades 10-12 attend Saturday sessions learning conservation science and communication skills, developing critical-thinking skills around wildlife issues.
Contra Costa County Youth Mental Health Coalition
A countywide coalition coordinated by the Contra Costa County Office of Education's Wellness In Schools Program, active since 2022, where high school students engage in mental health advocacy, peer-to-peer support, community events, and youth-led presentations.
Contra Costa Crisis Center Youth Volunteers
Crisis intervention and mental health support volunteer opportunities including hotline support, outreach, and suicide prevention programs. Extensive training provided for sensitive crisis work.
Contra Costa Library – Volunteer Opportunities
Library volunteering (shelving, children's programs, homework help, events) across county branches.
Cooper Union Saturday Program
A free, long-running Saturday visual arts and architecture program for New York City public high school students, taught by Cooper Union undergraduates and including field trips and portfolio prep.
Coro District Youth Leadership Academies (DYC) – District Youth Fellows
Coro's District Youth Leadership Academies are neighborhood‑based civic‑engagement programs serving youth in San Francisco. Fellows receive leadership and public‑speaking training, conduct informational interviews with local civic leaders, and design a community action project; completing fellows receive a 500 USD stipend.
Coursera / edX Physics MOOCs (e.g., MIT 8.01x)
Online university-level physics courses from top institutions; free to audit, fee for certificate.
CREW Careers
A one-day (or multi-session) hands-on event hosted by local CREW Network chapters, including Bay Area chapters, that introduces high school girls to commercial real estate careers through property tours and a team redevelopment pitch judged by industry professionals.
CU Pre-Health Scholars Program (CUPS) – High School Track
Free pathway program at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus that exposes 9th-12th grade scholars to research, STEAM, and health-care careers through workshops, mentoring, and campus visits.
CuriOdyssey Leader in Training / Leadership Development Program
Entry-level and advanced volunteer tracks where teens build leadership, science-communication, and environmental-stewardship skills facilitating exhibits at this nature/science center.
Cyber.org High School Pathways
Comprehensive curriculum with hands-on labs, assessments, and teacher support. Covers cybersecurity fundamentals, ethical hacking, and digital forensics.
CyberDefenders
Blue team focused platform with digital forensics and incident response challenges. Practice defending networks using real-world attack scenarios.
Cyberjutsu Girls Academy
Monthly hands-on STEM/cybersecurity workshops from the Women's Society of Cyberjutsu for middle- and high-school-aged girls, covering web design, mobile app development, and programming, with CyberPatriot and CTF teams.
Cybersecurity Mentorship Programs (CyberAcademy by CyberWarrior Foundation)
Free mentorship connecting high school students with cybersecurity professionals for career guidance and skill development.
CyberStart America
A free national online program delivered by the SANS Institute with 200+ gamified challenges covering cryptography, web exploitation, Python, forensics, and code-breaking, serving as the qualifying platform for the National Cyber Scholarship.
CybHER - Arcade Hack CTF
A cybersecurity outreach initiative based at Dakota State University focused on engaging girls in cyber, including the Arcade Hack capture-the-flag challenge and related events/workshops.
Danville Youth Council (DYC)
Official youth advisory body to the Danville Town Council where high school representatives attend Town Council meetings, advise on youth‑related policies, organize community events, and gain hands‑on experience in local government and civic engagement.
DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) Scholarships
28+ national scholarships across majors including history, political science, education, and nursing, available to HS seniors planning college study.
Davis Media Access Teen Media Nights
A free, drop-in Friday-evening program at Davis Media Access, run with the Future Development Youth Center, offering teens ages 12-19 mentored instruction in video production, DJing, and music production/mixing.
Denver Mayor's Youth Commission
Civic leadership board for Denver high school residents (or Denver Public Schools high schoolers) who advise the director of the Office of Children's Affairs on issues impacting Denver youth. Meets the 1st and 3rd Wednesday evenings each month, September through May.
DoSomething.org Human Rights & Social Justice Campaigns
A free national platform where teens join ongoing social-action campaigns on causes such as racial justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and community wellbeing, completing self-directed "actions" that build a record of civic engagement.
EAA Chapter 20 Young Eagles Program (San Carlos Airport)
EAA Chapter 20 hosts the national Young Eagles program at San Carlos Airport, giving youth ages 8-17 a free introductory airplane ride with a volunteer pilot to spark interest in aviation. The chapter has provided over 10,000 free flights since 1992 and supports pathways into further flight training and scholarships.
East Bay Regional Park District Volunteers
Volunteer program offering trail work, habitat restoration, interpretive programs, and park maintenance across 73 parks in the East Bay. Youth gain outdoor leadership and environmental stewardship skills.
El Camino Health Junior Auxiliary
Year-long hospital volunteer program at El Camino Health where teens support hospital departments and patient-facing services in Mountain View and Los Gatos.
EmersonWRITES
A free creative writing workshop run by Emerson College for students in grades 8-12 from the Boston area, meeting each fall on campus and online to develop original fiction, poetry, and nonfiction.
Empowering Children Foundation San José Volunteers
Youth volunteer program supporting children in foster care through tutoring, mentoring, activity coordination, and donation drives in San José.
EmpowerSTEM Chapter Leader Program
High schoolers start or lead a local EmpowerSTEM chapter, organizing free hands-on STEM workshops for younger students, recruiting volunteers, and expanding STEM access in their school or community.
Encode Justice / Encode AI
A youth-led national advocacy movement, founded by a California high schooler, that mobilizes over 1,000 high school and college students across 40+ states in chapters to shape AI policy, having sponsored laws like California's SB 53 AI safety act.
Enloe Health Junior Volunteer Program
A Chico hospital volunteer program for high school juniors and seniors that provides patient- and visitor-support experience across Enloe Health facilities as an entry point into healthcare and nursing careers.
EPICS High
A national engineering-design service-learning program in which high school teams partner with schools or nonprofit organizations to identify community needs and design and deliver real engineering solutions, applying human-centered design across themes of community development, education, health, and sustainability.
EVERFI Financial Literacy for High School
A free, standards-aligned digital course series covering saving, credit, investing, and digital banking through scenario-based learning modules. Funded by community business partners and used by schools nationwide, including in California, as a self-paced classroom or homework resource.
FEE Seminar Series
Seminars held throughout the year by the Foundation for Economic Education that introduce high school and college students to free-market economics, personal finance, and entrepreneurship principles, with programming and travel typically covered for accepted students.
Financial Football (Visa / Practical Money Skills)
Free, NFL-themed interactive game teaching budgeting, credit, saving, and investing through fast-paced football-trivia gameplay.
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco Teen Programs
Teen programs with events, leadership, and job opportunities (e.g., paid teen guides, Youth Programs Teen Advisory Board) tied to the de Young and Legion of Honor museums.
Fine Arts Museums Volunteers
Volunteers support the de Young and Legion of Honor museums with visitor services, events, and education programs that often highlight art and historical collections.
Foothill College Astronomy Program (Dual Enrollment)
High school students in grades 9-12 can dual-enroll tuition-free in Foothill College's transferable astronomy sequence (General Astronomy: Solar System; Stars, Galaxies & Cosmology; and the Astronomy Laboratory), which includes hands-on observational and data-analysis projects using real astronomical equipment.
Fort Ross Conservancy Volunteer Program
Volunteer program at Fort Ross and Salt Point State Historic Parks on the Sonoma Coast, the site of the historic Russian-American Company settlement. Teens assist with cultural history interpretation and site stewardship, earn community service hours, and can receive a California State Parks pass after 40+ hours.
FreeCodeCamp Certifications
Self-paced online platform offering free certifications in web development, data analysis, machine learning, and more. Great for building portfolio projects.
Fremont Peak Observatory Association
A volunteer-run nonprofit that operates a public observatory at Fremont Peak State Park near San Juan Bautista, offering free astronomy programs, telescope viewing, and multimedia presentations most Saturday evenings. The association also welcomes school, scout, and youth group visits by advance arrangement and offers observer memberships for continued involvement.
Fremont Police Explorers
A Fremont Police Department program for teens ages 14-18 currently enrolled in high school, offering hands-on exposure to law enforcement through ride-alongs, traffic control, community events, building tours, and a week-long Explorer Academy in San Diego.
Fresno County Health Youth Corps
A two-semester public health leadership program launched by UCSF Fresno, Fresno County Public Health, and the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools that trains historically marginalized high schoolers to become community health champions, culminating in a community health initiative and annual showcase.
Friends of the San Francisco Public Library Teen Volunteers
Library volunteer program where teens assist with programs, shelving, community events, and literacy initiatives. Volunteers support public library services and promote reading in the community.
From the Top
Nonprofit known for its NPR/PBS programs showcasing pre-collegiate classical musicians ages 8-18, including instrumentalists, vocalists, and composers, who perform and share their stories to a national radio audience along with scholarships.
Genentech Foundation Futurelab Scholarship
The Genentech Foundation's Futurelab Scholarship awards ten scholarships (totaling over $100,000 per year) to graduating seniors from the South San Francisco Unified School District who plan to pursue STEM degrees, including biotechnology and biomedical engineering; past recipients have gone on to intern or work at Genentech.
GENup – Student-Led Education Advocacy
California-based, student-led education advocacy organization that forms school- and district-level chapters to push for policy change at school boards, in Sacramento, and nationally. Chapters work on campaigns like student bills of rights, funding, and equity legislation.
Girl Up
Students start/join a club organizing advocacy campaigns and fundraising on gender equity and global girls' policy issues; can apply as Teen Advisors.
Girls Garage
A nonprofit design and construction school in Berkeley serving girls and gender-expansive youth ages 9-18, offering free after-school and summer instruction in carpentry, welding, architecture, and activist art/design-build projects. High schoolers (ages 14-18) can join multi-month after-school cohorts such as Advanced Design/Build and Design/Build fundamentals, culminating in real community-facing structures.
Girls Learn International
School-based clubs studying gender equity, human rights, and social justice.
Girls Who Code - Clubs & Pathways
Free, project-based programs including a cybersecurity track alongside web development, game design, and data science. Clubs meet after school/weekends; the self-paced Pathways program is virtual for high schoolers.
Girls With Impact
Free live-online 10-week entrepreneurship academy where young women build a business plan through weekly classes covering marketing, finance, and leadership.
Girls Write Now
A New York City nonprofit that pairs high school girls and gender-expansive youth from underserved communities with professional women writers for a year of one-on-one mentorship, culminating in a published anthology.
Global Minds Initiative
A youth-led national nonprofit where students start an after-school chapter pairing native English speakers with immigrant and refugee English-language learners to build cross-cultural friendships and practice English together.
Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes
Recognizes youth ages 8-18 who have led significant environmental or humanitarian service projects; top winners receive cash awards to further their work or education.
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy Youth Volunteers
Volunteer opportunities in Golden Gate National Recreation Area including trail maintenance, habitat restoration, visitor services, and park programs. Teens connect with nature while serving their community.
Google Code-in / Code Next
Google's programs for high school students to contribute to open-source projects and learn computer science fundamentals.
GoPhysics! Online Workshops
Free online physics workshops from Perimeter Institute where high schoolers dive into modern topics like gravity and black holes, or exoplanets and cosmology, guided by working physicists.
Grassroots Ecology Youth Stewards
Free after-school/summer program where teens restore local Bay Area open-space preserves alongside Grassroots Ecology staff, doing hands-on habitat stewardship.
Great California ShakeOut
An annual statewide earthquake preparedness drill in which students, schools, and organizations across California practice the 'Drop, Cover, and Hold On' technique at a scheduled time each October (or a self-chosen date). Participants can register individually or through their school and access drill scripts, safety videos, and educational materials.
GSA Network TRUTH Collective
A storytelling and media-advocacy program run by GSA Network (Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network) for trans and gender-nonconforming teens to build public understanding of trans experiences and organize for safer schools.
GSA Network Youth Freedom Fund
A mini-grant program from GSA Network that awards $500 to registered GSA clubs for youth-led events, campaigns, and projects. A club's student officers apply and, if selected, complete a Zoom interview to describe their project.
Habitat for Humanity East Bay Youth Build
Youth volunteer program building affordable housing for low-income families. Students learn construction skills while addressing housing insecurity and participating in community development.
Hack Club
Global nonprofit network of 1,000+ high school computer programming clubs (100,000+ students) plus a Slack community active 24/7. Hack Club also funds teen builders directly: Hack Grant ($50-$200 for any project), Highway/Hardware Grant (up to $350), and $500 grants for in-person high school hackathons.
HandsOn Bay Area
Volunteer matching platform connecting Bay Area youth with local nonprofits and community organizations. Students can find one-time or ongoing volunteer opportunities across education, environment, social services, and more.
Harvard Linguistics – Resources & Problem Sets
Harvard Linguistics department resources including problem sets and introductory materials for prospective students.
Health Profession Recruitment/Exposure Program (HPREP)
A ten-week Friday-afternoon program, now run nationally through Student National Medical Association chapters at medical schools including Weill Cornell, that pairs 10th-11th graders with medical students for workshops on research papers, personal statements, and healthcare careers.
HealthLink at UCSF
A free, year-long mentorship program pairing first-generation, college-bound Bay Area high schoolers (sophomores preferred) with UCSF graduate student mentors from Nursing, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Physical Therapy, and Medicine, through monthly Saturday workshops and one-on-one mentoring.
Heart of Sonoma Valley Youth Ambassadors
Year-long youth ambassador program where teens promote community service, organize events, and advocate for youth issues in Sonoma Valley.
History San Jose Programs
History San Jose runs interactive "History Detectives" programs and other public-history events using 19th-century San Jose artifacts.
Hope Squad
A school-based peer-to-peer suicide prevention program in which students nominated by classmates are trained in QPR and warning-sign recognition to identify and support at-risk peers; active in over 1,600 U.S. and Canadian schools.
Human Rights Watch Student Task Force
A youth leadership and human rights advocacy training program, founded in 1999, that trains high school students to run cross-campus advocacy campaigns on issues like children's rights, housing justice, and climate education, alongside public-speaking and project-coordination training. Chapters operate at high schools in several cities, with students able to join via an online interest form even without an existing chapter at their school.
IBM SkillsBuild for High School – Artificial Intelligence
A free, self-paced online platform from IBM offering high school students courses and digital credentials in AI fundamentals, covering machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, chatbots, neural networks, and AI ethics.
ICA SF Teen Program
Teens explore contemporary art via dialogue, hands-on activities, and public speaking across five sessions, linking art to community issues and creative careers.
ICA SF Teen Program – Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco
The ICA SF Teen Program is a five-session fall program where Bay Area teens meet biweekly to explore contemporary art exhibitions, learn about arts careers, and lead a final public engagement day; students receive a $150 honorarium and become part of the museum community.
iCivics
Free game-based civic/legal education platform (founded by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor).
iCivics Carnegie Youth Fellowship
A paid, year-long national civic leadership fellowship where high schoolers from across the country attend a Washington, D.C. symposium and then meet virtually to explore civic issues and lead community projects.
IGNITE National – High School Chapters
IGNITE is a nonpartisan nonprofit, founded via a 2010 Bay Area pilot, that builds young women's political ambition through student-led High School Chapters and Clubs where members learn to run voter registration drives, advocate on bills, and consider running for office. Chapters are hosted at school sites and must re-enroll with IGNITE annually.
InnerView National Community Service Awards
Platform to track volunteer hours and claim National Community Service Awards while volunteering at local nonprofits, providing recognition and digital badges.
Inspiring Future Women in Science
An annual half-day conference at Perimeter Institute connecting high schoolers with women scientists to discuss careers, challenges, and opportunities in physics and science; recordings available online.
Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco Teen Program
Teen program where participants attend weekly meetings, learn about contemporary artists, use mobile zine-making resources, and co-organize a public zine and poetry festival; includes a $500 stipend.
Interns4Good – Remote Internships
Interns4Good is a nonprofit that matches high-school students with virtual volunteer internships at charities and community organizations in roles like social media, tutoring, research, and design.
Invest in Girls - Financial Foundations
A free financial education program that partners with high schools nationwide to teach girls and gender-expansive students personal finance and investing through live online courses, culminating in an optional mentorship program with women in finance.
Invest It Forward (SIFMA Foundation)
Program pairing finance-industry volunteers with classrooms running The Stock Market Game, giving students direct mentorship and career exposure.
JA Company Program
A Junior Achievement program in which high school students conceptualize, finance, and run their own student-led startup company over a semester or school year, guided by volunteer business mentors and covering sales, finance, marketing, and supply-chain fundamentals.
JA Finance Park (Junior Achievement of Northern California)
Hands-on personal finance simulation in which high schoolers choose a career and lifestyle, then build and defend a real-world household budget covering income, credit, saving, and risk.
JA Finance Park Advanced
Junior Achievement's capstone personal-finance simulation for high schoolers, in which students take on an adult persona with a randomized career and life scenario and build a monthly budget at an on-site or virtual Finance Park, following teacher-led classroom lessons.
JA Social Innovation Camp
A Junior Achievement of Northern California learning experience, delivered virtually or in person by community volunteers, that applies entrepreneurial thinking to sustainability and social problems to build high schoolers' leadership and innovation skills.
JA Take Stock in Your Future
A Junior Achievement of Northern California course spanning five sessions that introduces high schoolers to stock market fundamentals, current market analysis, and practical trading experience, with an optional stock market competition component.
Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award
Prestigious national award for pre-college classical musicians, providing up to $10,000 for music education and a chance to appear on From the Top.
Jane Goodall Institute's Roots & Shoots
Free, flexible youth action network active in all 50 states where students form chapters and design their own community projects addressing environmental, animal, or human-welfare issues using a simple four-step action model.
Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots
A global youth-led service-learning movement with local chapters/groups tackling projects that benefit people, animals, and the environment, providing curriculum, tools, and a project framework for student-led environmental action.
Japanese National Honor Society (JNHS)
National honor society administered by AATJ that recognizes high schoolers for sustained excellence in Japanese language study.
JCNC Presidential Volunteer Service Award Program
South Bay youth program coordinating service projects and certifying qualifying students for the U.S. Presidential Volunteer Service Award with certificate and medallion.
JFCS East Bay Youth Ambassadors
A Jewish Family and Community Services East Bay volunteer program for youth ages 12 and up who organize collection drives and community projects supporting East Bay refugee and immigrant families.
JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest
Students write an essay analyzing an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official since 1917, competing for cash prizes.
John Muir Health CLIMB Near Peer Mentorship Program
A virtual, multi-tier mentorship program connecting high school students interested in medicine with medical students and Family Medicine residents through weekly meetings from July through December, aimed at developing community-engaged future physicians.
John Muir Hospital Youth Volunteer Program
Hospital volunteer program where teens assist with patient support, administrative tasks, and departmental operations. Volunteers gain healthcare exposure and professional skills in a medical setting.
Jump$tart Reality Check
Free interactive online tool helping students calculate the income and career path needed to support the adult lifestyle they envision.
Jump$tart Student Honor Society
National recognition program honoring high schoolers who demonstrate strong personal finance knowledge and have taught financial literacy to peers.
Junior NAD
A national youth-led organization for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in grades 7-12 that runs school-based chapters and a national conference to build leadership, self-advocacy, and citizenship skills.
Junior Paleontologist Program (National Park Service)
A National Park Service badge program in which students complete a free downloadable Junior Paleontologist activity booklet covering how paleontologists work, Earth's history, and ancient life, then mail it in to receive an official badge. It is part of the wider NPS Junior Ranger system and can be completed independently or after visiting a national park with fossil resources.
Kaiser Permanente – Black Men in White Coats Youth Summit (Las Positas College)
Kaiser Permanente Northern California partners with Black Men in White Coats to host a one-day Youth Summit at Las Positas College, giving middle-school through college students exposure to medical careers through speakers, physician panels, CPR and simulation activities, and grade-level breakout workshops. The 2026 summit runs from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on April 11 in Livermore, CA.
Kaiser Permanente Northern California – Teen Volunteer Programs
Kaiser Permanente Northern California runs teen volunteer programs (often 16-17+) at medical centers including Walnut Creek, San Ramon, Redwood City, San Mateo, and others; students help with greeting, escorting patients, clerical tasks, and non-clinical support while gaining exposure to healthcare careers.
Kaiser Permanente Northern California Hospital Volunteers
Volunteer programs at Kaiser hospitals across the Bay Area where teens support patient services, wayfinding, and hospital departments with orientation and training.
Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center Teen Volunteer Program
Teen volunteers support hospital staff, assist patients and families, and gain exposure to healthcare careers. Program includes training and opportunities across various hospital departments.
Khan Academy Physics
Free online physics courses (AP Physics 1, 2, C) with videos, practice, and mastery tracking.
Korean Honor Society (KHS)
National honor society jointly sponsored by AATK and KLTA-USA, recognizing high schoolers for excellence in Korean language study.
KQED Youth Media Challenge
CA public-media program for original audio/video/narrative pieces published on KQED's Youth Media Showcase.
LA Times High School Insider
A Los Angeles Times journalism platform where high school students nationwide can publish news, opinion, and feature writing under the Times banner and receive editorial feedback to develop their craft.
Language Log
Popular linguistics blog covering diverse language topics, research, and current events; great for curious language learners and aspiring linguists.
Lawrence Livermore Labs Biotech Summer Experience
Two-week summer program where HS students perform molecular biology and bioinformatics experiments (PCR, cloning, gels, sequence analysis) and submit sequences to GenBank.
LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired Youth Programs
San Francisco-based LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired offers year-round social, recreational, and educational programming for blind and low-vision children and teens to build skills and peer connections.
Lighthouse Young Authors Collective
Free weekly writers' group for teens at Lighthouse Writers Workshop in Denver where students exchange written pieces and give and receive feedback. Drop-in academic support and writing groups are also available year-round, with a special focus on LGBTQIA+ teens and young people of color.
Lindsay Wildlife Experience Teen Docents
Wildlife rehabilitation center volunteer program where teens educate visitors about native California wildlife, assist with animal care, and support conservation education programs.
Lindsay Wildlife Experience Teen Programs
Service-learning programs with animal ambassadors and wildlife education.
Linguistic Society of America (LSA) – Student Resources
Official linguistics society's student page with career information, recommended reading, and links to competitions and programs.
LITA of Contra Costa (Love Is The Answer)
A Contra Costa County nonprofit that connects volunteers with seniors in care facilities through pet visits, music, gardening, and art activities to reduce isolation and loneliness.
Lockheed Martin CYBERQUEST® Academy
A free, virtual mentoring program for high school classes. Each fall, teachers register classes to receive four online sessions with Lockheed Martin cyber engineers. The curriculum builds basic cybersecurity skills and prepares students for the annual CyberQuest competition.
Los Altos History Museum – Teen Docent Program
Teen docents help lead tours, interpret exhibits, and assist with programs on local history, giving structured museum-based history outreach experience.
Los Angeles Urban League Biz Institute & Biz Camp
Free program combining Saturday classes and a summer intensive covering business fundamentals and internal pitch competitions; top students advance to NFTE's national challenge.
Love For Our Elders
A national nonprofit fighting elder loneliness, where high schoolers write handwritten letters to isolated seniors and can start an official campus chapter at their school to organize letter-writing drives.
Loyola Law School Young Lawyers Program
LMU law students mentor LA-area students weekly, ending in a mock trial before a real judge.
March For Our Lives Membership
The gun-violence-prevention movement founded by high school students. Members join campus and community chapters (or organize virtually via 'On Your Couch' toolkits) to run voter-registration drives, advocacy campaigns, and school-based organizing.
Marin County Youth Commission (MCYC)
Founded in 1969, one of the oldest youth commissions in the U.S.; 25 youth members aged 12-23 advocate for young people's interests before the Marin County Board of Supervisors, working in subcommittees on issues like immigrant justice, mental health, and racial equity, and drafting public policy proposals.
Marin Humane Teen Volunteer Program
Animal welfare volunteer opportunities including animal care, adoption support, community outreach, and humane education. Teens gain experience in animal rescue and shelter operations.
Marin Youth Poet Laureate & Ambassador
Marin County teens submit poetry and a community-commitment statement; selected Laureate/Ambassadors serve a one-year term hosting readings and leading creative projects.
Marine Mammal Center Youth Crew
Animal care and education volunteer program in Sausalito with approximately 120 hours of service learning.
MarinHealth S.M.I.L.E. High School Volunteer Program
Competitive year-long hospital volunteer program (Students Making Illness a Little Easier) with only ~10 spots, focused on supporting patients and staff at MarinHealth Medical Center.
Marshall Medical Center Junior Volunteers
A Placerville hospital volunteer program for high schoolers ages 16-18 offering roughly 6 hours per month of patient- and staff-support experience, with training, background clearance, and a recommendation letter required.
Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project
Law-student Fellows teach a yearlong constitutional law course; top students reach the national Moot Court Competition.
Math Teachers' Circle / Bay Area Math Circle for Teachers & Students
Some Bay Area Math Teachers' Circles invite HS student observers or helpers; good for 1‑on‑1 exposure to inquiry‑based math and leadership.
Mayo Clinic Career Immersion Program (Minnesota)
A multi-day, hands-on Mayo Clinic program for Minnesota high school juniors and seniors to explore in-demand healthcare careers directly alongside Mayo experts and near-peer mentors.
Mayo Clinic CARES Program (Arizona)
A competitive summer pathway program at Mayo Clinic's Phoenix campus that exposes Arizona high schoolers to a broad range of healthcare careers through mentorship and professional exposure with Mayo staff.
Mays Days (Texas A&M Mays Business School)
A free, single-day event held multiple times each summer at Texas A&M's Mays Business School in which rising high school juniors and seniors work with a current Mays student leader on a business case study and explore academic opportunities and the college application process.
Meals on Wheels Volunteer Delivery
Volunteer program delivering meals to homebound seniors and disabled individuals. Youth learn about senior care, food security, and community health while providing essential services.
Menlo Park Fire District Explorer Post 109
A Learning for Life fire-service exploring post for ages 14-21 that trains participants toward Firefighter I and EMT skills through bi-monthly meetings, ride-alongs, and a minimum 3.0 GPA requirement, with a scholarship available for those pursuing fire-service careers.
Mentis Napa Teens Connect
A Napa County program in which teens serve as youth mental health advocates, engaging in wellness projects, workshops, and peer support activities, including a Summer 2026 small-group series at the Mentis Wellness Campus.
Mission: Brain - Student Chapters
Start a chapter of this non-profit (founded at Stanford) to do neuro-outreach in your community.
MIT Linguistics – Resources for Prospective Students
MIT Linguistics department's page with introductory readings, puzzles, and guidance for exploring linguistics as a field.
Monterey Audubon Young Birders Club
Free youth birding club hosting monthly Monterey-area field trips for young birders to build identification and field-ecology skills in a peer community.
Monterey Bay Aquarium - Teen Conservation Leaders
Volunteer program developing conservation and communication skills working at the aquarium.
Morgan Stanley Finance Academy
A highly selective, free five-month virtual career-development program for U.S. high school seniors featuring biweekly sessions, mentorship from Morgan Stanley professionals, and a capstone project simulating a real client finance scenario.
MVHS PTSA Scholarships
Five $1,000 awards and one $2,500 award for Monte Vista seniors based on involvement and achievement.
MyShake Citizen Seismologist Program
Free UC Berkeley app turning phones into mini seismometers contributing to earthquake research.
NAACP Youth Council
Local NAACP unit-affiliated councils providing civil-rights training and leadership development for members under 25; high school students can check whether a chapter exists at their school or work with a local adult NAACP unit to start one, engaging in advocacy and community activism.
NACLO Problems (Archive)
Complete archive of all past North American Computational Linguistics Olympiad problems; excellent for self‑study and practice.
NAfME All-National Honor Ensembles
The top national honor ensembles for high school musicians, run by the National Association for Music Education, including concert band, symphony orchestra, mixed choir, jazz ensemble, guitar ensemble, and modern band, culminating in performances at the NAfME National Convention.
NAfME Music Scholarships & Grants
Curated list of current music scholarships and competitions with regularly updated info for high school and college students.
Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest
High school sophomore/junior girls submit unpublished poems for national judging; winner receives cash, publication in Cargoes, and a Hollins University scholarship.
NASA HUNCH
Classes design/fabricate real flight hardware flown to the International Space Station.
NASA Robotics Alliance Project (RAP)
A free NASA program that sponsors and mentors FIRST Robotics Competition and VEX teams nationwide, pairing high school students with NASA engineers and technical professionals for hands-on mentoring and, in some cases, team sponsorship funding.
National Constitution Center Scholar Exchange
Free live virtual sessions with lawyers/judges/scholars practicing civil dialogue on constitutional topics.
National English Honor Society (NEHS)
A national honor society for high school students who excel in English language and literature, with over 600 chapters that run literary programming, book clubs, and scholarship and competition opportunities.
National Space Club and Foundation Keynote Scholarship
A prestigious national scholarship open to U.S. citizens from high school seniors through graduate students pursuing STEM fields, awarding $10,000 for education and inviting the recipient to deliver a keynote address at the National Space Club and Foundation's Goddard Memorial Dinner, a premier aerospace-industry networking event.
National Teen Age Republicans (TARS)
The official teenage auxiliary of the Republican Party, open to students ages 13-18, operating for over 60 years through school- and community-based chapters led by students with an adult advisor; members do leadership development, voter education, campaign volunteering, and public speaking, and can attend the annual TAR Leadership Conference.
National Wildlife Federation EcoLeaders
Free online community and certification program for high school juniors and seniors to plan, lead, and document sustainability projects at their school, with career-development resources and a Certified EcoLeader credential.
National Youth Poet Laureate Program (Urban Word)
A program spanning 70+ cities/states/counties that identifies and elevates exceptional youth poets who use their voice for civic change, advancing local Youth Poet Laureates toward state and national titles.
National Youth Rights Association (NYRA)
A youth-led civil and political rights organization (roughly 10,000 members) that challenges age-discriminatory laws, drafts and testifies on youth-rights legislation, and organizes through local chapters ("nodes"); students can volunteer, become members, or start a node in their community.
Naturalists in Training (Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History)
A teen volunteer program at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, near Monterey Bay, for students entering grades 9-12. Trainees attend workshops on natural history and coastal ecology, then serve volunteer shifts helping the public and leading nature activities, earning community service hours or a stipend.
NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing
A national program from the National Council of Teachers of English, established in 1957, that recognizes outstanding high school sophomore and junior writers who are nominated by their teachers and respond to an annual national prompt.
Neel Somani Young Innovators Scholarship
Scholarship recognizing students who led innovative projects, often in STEM or entrepreneurship.
NewPages Young Writers Guide to Contests
Curates "legit" contests for youth; includes many teen‑specific poetry and prose competitions.
Next Generation Jazz Orchestra (Monterey Jazz Festival)
Top HS jazz musicians nationwide, chosen via blind audition, rehearse under a GRAMMY-nominated director and perform at the Monterey Jazz Festival mainstage.
NFMC Junior Festivals
National Federation of Music Clubs annual Junior Festivals give young musicians (18 and under) a yearly performance evaluation, plus competitions/awards in voice, instrumental, and composition, awarding over $750,000 annually.
NHD-CA Youth Leadership Council
The NHD-CA Youth Leadership Council gives experienced History Day students the chance to help shape contests, recruit participants, and lead workshops.
NIST NICE Cybersecurity Workforce Framework
Free resources mapping cybersecurity careers, skills, and learning pathways. Essential for understanding the breadth of cybersecurity roles.
NOAA Ocean Guardian Schools
A school-based program through NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries in which a school commits to a conservation/stewardship project connected to its local ocean or watershed, with curriculum support and small grants.
NRF Foundation RISE Up
A free, industry-backed credentialing program from the National Retail Federation Foundation, built with more than 20 major retailers, offering courses such as Retail Industry Fundamentals, Business of Retail, and Supply Chain, Inventory & Logistics that high schoolers complete through partner schools and training organizations nationwide.
NSBP/HGS Dream + Inspire Mentoring Program
A mentoring program pairing National Society of Black Physicists collegiate members with middle and high schoolers for weekly conversations, STEAM kit projects, and monthly seminars with professional physicists.
NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute – Self-Paced Courses
Free and paid self-paced online courses from NVIDIA's Deep Learning Institute covering generative AI, deep learning, and data science fundamentals, with hands-on GPU-accelerated labs and certificates of competency for select courses.
NWS Sacramento SKYWARN Weather Spotter Program
A free National Weather Service volunteer training program that teaches participants to identify and safely report severe weather (hail, wind damage, flash flooding, tornadoes) to help forecasters issue better warnings. Training is delivered via a series of online video modules plus an exam, covering the Sacramento Valley and surrounding Northern California region.
Oakland Museum of California Volunteers
OMCA's volunteer program includes roles helping with school groups, cultural celebrations, and public programs that highlight California art, history, and natural sciences.
Oakland Public Library Teen Advisory Board
Youth leadership group advising library staff on teen services, programs, and collections. Members plan events, review books, and shape library offerings for young people.
Oakland Zoo Teen Wild Guide Program
Teens serve as docents and educators, leading tours, staffing exhibits, and teaching visitors about wildlife conservation. Volunteers receive extensive training in animal science and public speaking.
ODC SEEDS Teen Hip Hop Dance Company
Pre-professional teen company blending street dance styles with storytelling and restorative-justice practice; members train, perform, and attend Bay Area dance events.
On Lok Volunteer Program
Volunteers at On Lok's Bay Area PACE adult day centers lead activities, teach skills like ESL or origami, write birthday cards, and provide companionship to seniors; volunteers under 18 are welcome when accompanied by an adult guardian.
Outlet Youth Advisory Board (Adolescent Counseling Services)
A free leadership and community-service board for LGBTQIA+ youth ages 14-25 in the Peninsula/Bay Area, run by Outlet (a program of Adolescent Counseling Services). Members plan events, outreach, and peer-support programming, meeting virtually every other week with optional in-person meetups.
Outset Medical – Student Opportunities (Shadowing/Intern-Style)
Outset Medical is a dialysis-technology company; HS/early-college students sometimes engage through mentored projects, job-shadowing, or outreach tied to employees. Not a standardized open program, but a potential mentorship/research connection if you network with the team.
OverTheWire Wargames
Free online cybersecurity wargames teaching fundamental to advanced security concepts through hands-on challenges. Self-paced progression through difficulty levels.
Palo Alto Art Center Teen Leadership (ACT)
Year-long teen leadership program where high schoolers plan events, make and exhibit art, and build career and leadership skills at the Palo Alto Art Center.
Peer Court - Lincoln Law School of San Jose
Teen volunteers act as jurors, attorneys, and court staff in a real San Jose courtroom to hear cases of first-time teen offenders, using motivational interviewing and trauma-informed, restorative-justice practices under the mentorship of Lincoln Law School.
Peninsula Astronomical Society – Foothill Observatory
An all-volunteer Bay Area astronomy club that operates the public Foothill Observatory on the Foothill College campus, hosting free Friday-night stargazing and Saturday-morning solar viewing through a 16-inch computer-controlled telescope, plus member talks and star parties.
Peninsula Volunteers Teen Volunteer Program (Little House & Rosener House)
Peninsula Volunteers Inc. in Menlo Park runs Little House (a senior activity center) and Rosener House (adult day services), which welcome teen and school-group volunteers for arts and crafts with seniors, meal service at the Little House Cafe, grounds/gardening help, and making seasonal cards for isolated older adults. Group volunteering must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance.
Perry Initiative Outreach Program
A free, one-day hands-on workshop held at sites nationwide where high school students perform mock orthopedic surgeries and biomechanical engineering activities while networking with surgeon and engineer mentors, aimed at increasing diversity in orthopedics and engineering.
PG&E Better Together STEM Scholarship
The PG&E Corporation Foundation awards $2,500-$10,000 scholarships to high school seniors (and other students) within PG&E's California service territory who plan to study engineering (electrical, mechanical, power/energy), computer science, or related STEM fields at an accredited four-year college.
Physics by Inquiry - Coursera / University Partners
Inquiry-based physics learning programs; good for self-directed study and conceptual understanding.
Pirates Pitch Competition
Seton Hall University's high school pitch competition offering $50,000 in combined cash prizes and scholarships for original business ideas.
Pleasant Hill Recreation Teen Volunteer Program
City recreation department volunteer opportunities assisting with youth sports, camps, special events, and community programs. Teens gain experience in recreation leadership and event management.
Poets & Writers – Contests Database (Teen‑Accessible)
While not just for teens, Poets & Writers' contest database includes some competitions open to high schoolers (e.g., youth categories, general contests that accept under‑18 with permission).
Polyphony Lit
An international, student-run literary magazine in which high schoolers can submit poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction for publication, or apply to join the editorial board that trains teens to review and select peer submissions.
President's Environmental Youth Award (PEYA)
National EPA-administered award recognizing K-12 student environmental stewardship projects, with one winning entry selected from each of EPA's ten regions and honored with a Presidential plaque each year.
Project UNITY – California Chapter
National youth-led nonprofit at the intersection of public health, medicine, and digital health; California high-schoolers can join the network, work on advocacy and community health projects, and later apply for internal programs like Catalyst Academy and the Youth Public Health Innovation Coalition.
Project Write Now – Teen Internship Program
Project Write Now's teen internship places high-school students in a writing center where they help run programs, support classes, and develop their own creative and community writing projects.
QubitxQubit – Introduction to Quantum Computing
A free, two-semester quantum computing course from The Coding School, built with Google Quantum AI, teaching linear algebra, Python/Qiskit coding, and quantum physics fundamentals with access to real quantum hardware.
QuestBridge National College Match
Free college-application program for high-achieving high school seniors from low-income backgrounds. Finalists are matched with full four-year scholarships to one of 50+ partner colleges (including Stanford, MIT, Princeton, Yale). Application due September 30 of senior year.
r/linguistics (Reddit Community)
Active Reddit community for linguistics discussion, resources, and Q&A; good for exploring linguistics topics and connecting with others.
Rainbow Community Center Youth Program
A drop-in peer support and leadership-development program for LGBTQIA2S+ youth ages 12-25 run by the Rainbow Community Center of Contra Costa County. The weekly Youth Group offers identity exploration, peer support, leadership training, workshops, and community events in a confidential, affirming space.
Rattle Young Poets Anthology
An annual anthology from the respected poetry magazine Rattle, publishing about 20 poems by young poets each year, appearing alongside Rattle's summer issue distributed to all subscribers.
Reed College Linguistics Resources for High Schoolers
Overview of linguistics resources and competitions (NACLO, OnLing, ILC, IOL, etc.); includes past puzzles and problem sets.
Reel Works
A free New York City after-school program that pairs teens with professional filmmaker mentors to write, shoot, and edit their own short documentaries and narrative films, building storytelling, production, and editing skills.
Rise (Rhodes Trust / Schmidt Sciences Global Talent Program)
A global talent program that identifies promising 15-17 year olds and supports them with a fully-funded lifelong scholarship network, mentorship, need-based funding, and an in-person residential summit. Open to applicants worldwide, including US/California students.
Robbin Mackbee Firefighter/EMS Youth Academy
A nine-month youth academy in Vallejo run in partnership with the Vallejo Fire Department, Vallejo Unified School District, and Medic Ambulance, offering mentorship, CPR/First Aid/disaster-medicine training, and structured career exploration for youth interested in firefighting or EMS careers.
Robert Ferguson Observatory – Young Astronomers Program
A free monthly astronomy club for students from 4th grade through high school, meeting virtually on the first Friday of each month to review the current sky, rocket launch updates, and a rotating astronomy topic, with occasional in-person gatherings at the Observatory and Sonoma County libraries.
Rockd Citizen Science Geology App
A free mobile app from the University of Wisconsin's Macrostrat project that lets users pull up geologic maps anywhere on Earth and log field observations, such as rock and fossil IDs and strike-and-dip measurements, contributing to an open geoscience database.
Ronald McDonald House Bay Area Teen Volunteers
Hospital hospitality volunteer program supporting families with seriously ill children. Teens prepare meals, organize activities, and provide comfort to families during difficult times.
Roseville Rising Student Entrepreneurs
Free 12-week program for Sacramento-area teens to design a business solution using Lean Canvas, meet local entrepreneurs, and pitch to community "investors" for cash prizes.
Sacramento Firefighter Youth Academy (SFYA)
A mentorship and youth-development program run with the Sacramento Fire Department and community partner SFARY at McClellan Park, pairing Sacramento teens with firefighter mentors for academic support, community service, and self-discipline coaching toward high school completion and beyond.
Sacramento Valley Young Birders Club
Free youth birding club offering monthly field trips and museum visits across Sacramento-area counties, building ecology and species-ID skills through an Audubon-affiliated community.
SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions)
The nation's premier youth health and safety organization, operating student-led high school chapters that run peer education and advocacy programming on substance use prevention, traffic safety, and personal health decision-making.
San Bernardino County Museum Earth Sciences Volunteer Program
San Bernardino County Museum's Earth Sciences volunteer program lets students age 15 and up assist in the museum's active fossil prep lab, digitize and inventory the paleontology collection, and interact with visitors about fossils. It is a free, ongoing volunteer opportunity requiring at least 6 hours per month after a background check and orientation.
San Diego Archaeological Center Volunteer Program
Docent-style volunteer positions at the San Diego Archaeological Center in which volunteers greet visitors, answer questions, and help interpret the museum's archaeological collections for the public; free and unpaid, with periodic application windows.
San Francisco Amateur Astronomers
A community astronomy club based at the Randall Museum in San Francisco that hosts free public star parties, telescope viewing nights, and talks for all ages and experience levels. Students can attend events or join as members to learn observational astronomy alongside experienced amateur astronomers.
San Francisco Center for the Book – Volunteer Program
The San Francisco Center for the Book relies on volunteers to help with book-arts studios, exhibitions, and public events, giving teens exposure to letterpress, bookbinding, and the local arts community while earning service hours.
San Francisco Conservatory of Music Pre-College Academy
Serious young musicians take private lessons, musicianship classes, and ensemble training on Saturdays year-round, building conservatory-level skills.
San Francisco Habitat Stewards – Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
Weekly drop-in coastal habitat restoration program at Fort Funston, Lands End, Baker Beach, and the Presidio of San Francisco. Volunteers remove invasive species, plant natives, and learn coastal ecology alongside Parks Conservancy staff; no experience necessary. Volunteers ages 15-17 need a signed parent/guardian approval form.
San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra
Bay Area HS musicians audition for a seat in this pre-professional training orchestra, rehearsing under professional conductors and performing at Davies Symphony Hall.
San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra (SFSYO)
Highly competitive full symphony orchestra for advanced young musicians (12-20) from the greater Bay Area, rehearsing and performing at Davies Symphony Hall.
San Francisco Youth Commission
The San Francisco Youth Commission is the city's official youth advisory body, made up of 17 commissioners ages 12-23 who advise the Mayor and Board of Supervisors on budget and policy decisions affecting young people. Commissioners are selected through a written application and interview process.
San Francisco Youth Commission (SFYC)
Official SF city commission that advises the Mayor and Board of Supervisors on policies affecting youth; commissioners draft recommendations, hold hearings, and work with city departments.
San Francisco Youth Poet Laureate
Cohort of young SF poets attends biweekly advanced workshops; two selected as Laureate/Vice Laureate represent the city through writing and civic engagement.
San Francisco-Marin Food Bank Volunteers
Volunteer program where teens and adults sort, pack, and distribute food at warehouses and pantries, or help with home-delivered groceries to seniors and those in need.
San José Parks Youth Advisory Council
Advisory council where teens provide input on parks, recreation programs, and youth services to San José city officials while organizing community events.
San José Public Library Teen Volunteer Program
Library volunteer program where teens assist with programs, shelving, technology help, and community outreach at San José Public Library branches.
San Jose Stage Company – Work With Us (Teens)
San Jose Stage Company lists seasonal positions and internships, including education, front-of-house, and production opportunities that sometimes accept advanced high-school students interested in professional theatre operations.
San Mateo County Youth Commission
Up to 25 members ages 13-21 who reside in San Mateo County serve as advisors to the Board of Supervisors, working through subcommittees on civic engagement, educational equity, environmental sustainability, and health and wellness; recruitment occurs annually from April to June.
San Rafael Fire Department Explorer Program
A youth firefighting and emergency medical exploring program for ages 16-20 that meets twice monthly for hands-on drills, medical training, community service projects, and ride-alongs with San Rafael firefighters.
SANS Cyber Foundations
Free online cybersecurity fundamentals course covering networking, operating systems, and security concepts. Self-paced with optional certification exam.
Santa Clara Sister Cities Youth Commission
Open to all high school students living in or attending school in Santa Clara, this youth commission meets monthly to plan cultural-exchange and fundraising events with the city's sister cities in Japan, Portugal, and Ireland while gaining local government and international-relations experience.
Save The Bay Volunteer Programs
Environmental restoration and conservation volunteer opportunities including wetland restoration, native planting, creek cleanups, and educational programs protecting San Francisco Bay.
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards (Bay Area Region)
Students submit original art or writing in 28 categories for regional jurying; regional Gold Key winners advance to national judging for scholarships and publication.
School Cybersecurity Club Formation Resources
Organizations like ISSA, ISC2, and (ISC)² provide free resources, speakers, and curriculum for starting high school cybersecurity clubs.
SCYNA – Southern California Youth Neuroscience Association
A free, student-run high school neuroscience club through UC Irvine's Center for the Neurobiology of Learning & Memory, featuring expert lectures, neuroethics debates, lab tours, and community teaching service.
SEA Team Volunteer Program (Aquarium of the Bay)
A teen volunteer program at Aquarium of the Bay in San Francisco for students ages 14-15 who commit to at least six months of service. Volunteers assist with exhibit interpretation, animal husbandry support, and visitor education about San Francisco Bay marine life.
Seal of Biliteracy (State / District Level)
An official seal on your diploma and transcript recognizing functional proficiency in English and at least one additional language (AP/IB scores, AAPPL, etc.).
SEAONC High School Scholarship
The Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC) awards $2,500 scholarships to high school students planning to pursue structural engineering, architecture, or construction-related careers, with priority given to women, underrepresented minorities, and students with disabilities.
Second Harvest Food Bank Youth Volunteers
Food bank volunteer opportunities including sorting and packing food, distribution assistance, and hunger awareness programs. Youth address food insecurity while learning about community needs.
Seed Scholars Honors Program
Year-round entrepreneurship program for Bay Area students featuring mentorship, workshops, and startup project development.
Sequoia Living Teen Volunteers
Hospital and senior living volunteer program where teens provide companionship, activity support, and assistance at Sequoia Living facilities in the Bay Area.
SFMade FlexFactor
SFMade's flagship in-classroom program where student teams identify a real-world problem, design a hardware-based solution, build a business model around it, and pitch their venture to industry professionals, exploring manufacturing and entrepreneurship career pathways.
Silicon Valley Astronomy Lecture Series
A free public lecture series founded in 1999 at Foothill College featuring leading astronomers, including Nobel laureates and National Academy of Sciences members, presented six Wednesday evenings each academic year and co-sponsored by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, SETI Institute, and UC Observatories.
Silicon Valley Bicycle Exchange Youth Programs
Nonprofit teaching bicycle repair and safety while providing free bikes to those in need. Youth volunteers learn mechanical skills while supporting sustainable transportation and community mobility.
Silicon Valley Youth Robotics Foundation
Bay Area nonprofit offering hands-on robotics workshops in programming, electronics, and mechanical design, and sponsoring a local FRC team.
SLEWS Program (Center for Land-Based Learning)
The Student and Landowner Education and Watershed Stewardship (SLEWS) program engages cohorts of about 30 high school students in hands-on habitat restoration on working farms, ranches, and open spaces across Yolo, Solano, Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Butte counties. Over three to five field days per cohort, students plant native vegetation, build irrigation systems, conduct ecological studies, and hear from natural-resource professionals about careers in agriculture and conservation.
Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica (AATSP Spanish & Portuguese Honor Society)
A national honor society for high school students of Spanish or Portuguese, sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, offering senior scholarships and junior travel awards for members with strong academic records.
Sonoma State Sonia Kovalevsky High School Mathematics Day
One-day event with workshops/activities celebrating women in math, statistics, and data science.
Sources of Strength Peer Leader Advisory Council (PLAC)
A national council of about 25 high school and college Peer Leaders who meet monthly via Zoom with Sources of Strength national staff to shape suicide-prevention campaigns and strategy; open to students who are already active Sources of Strength Peer Leaders.
South San Francisco CERT Team Teen CERT Program
A disaster-preparedness and emergency-response training program sponsored by the South San Francisco Fire Department, open to teenagers alongside adult volunteers. Trainees learn to extinguish small fires, conduct light search and rescue, set up medical treatment areas, and assist emergency responders.
South San Francisco Parks & Recreation Teen Advisory Council
Teen leadership group advising city officials on youth programs, parks, and recreation while planning community service projects and events.
Special Olympics Northern California Unified Champion Schools (Schools Partnership Program)
A school-based inclusion initiative of Special Olympics Northern California that embeds students with and without intellectual disabilities together through Unified Sports teams, Inclusive Youth Leadership councils, and whole-school engagement activities. Distinct from general athlete volunteering, it trains student leaders to reduce bullying and build inclusive school climates.
Special Olympics Northern California Youth Volunteers
Volunteer opportunities supporting athletes with intellectual disabilities at sports competitions, training sessions, and community events. Youth learn about inclusion and adaptive sports.
St. Mary's Center Sunday Dinner Program
An Oakland nonprofit serving low-income and homeless seniors, where community and school volunteer groups help prepare, serve, and share a Sunday afternoon meal, plus seasonal painting and gardening projects.
Stanford Blood Center Red Cord Program
A Bay Area high school recognition program in which students earn an exclusive graduation honor cord either by donating blood once a year through high school or by organizing a blood drive at their school, run through Stanford Blood Center's Menlo Park, Mountain View, South Bay, and Tri-Valley centers.
Stanford Blood Center Teen Volunteer Program
An in-person volunteer role for students 16 and older assisting donors as Post-Donation Canteen Hosts at Stanford Blood Center's Campbell, Dublin, Menlo Park, and Mountain View donation centers and mobile blood drives, with free orientation and training provided.
Stanford Linguistics – Undergraduate Resources
Stanford Linguistics department page with information about studying linguistics and available resources.
Stanford Medicine Children's Health Teen Volunteer Program
A year-round hospital volunteer program at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford for students 16 and older, requiring a weekly 2-3 hour shift and a 6-month commitment after an interview and background check.
Stanford Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
Eight-week, full-time biomedical research internship at Stanford for current juniors and seniors, with placements in immunology, cancer, neuroscience, genetics, bioengineering, etc.; extremely competitive.
Stanford's unBox Project
Student-run initiative based at Stanford that supports student food and housing security organizers nationwide; HS/college students join campaigns, events, and storytelling projects around basic needs and anti-poverty policy.
State & Regional World Language Student Awards (Example: CLTA, FLAVA)
Many state world‑language associations (California's CLTA, Virginia's FLAVA, etc.) grant "Outstanding World Language Student" awards recognizing high achievement and future language educators.
STEMpathize Internship / Volunteer Roles
Student-run nonprofit that gives high-schoolers virtual roles (internships/volunteering) to design STEM curricula and projects, often centered on health, community challenges, and equity; roles include curriculum design, operations, outreach, etc.
Stony Brook Linguistics Outreach Programs
Collection of Stony Brook's linguistics outreach activities (SYCCL camp, guest lectures, workshops); strong presence in New York.
Street Law Legal Career Pipeline Program
Volunteer attorneys teach weekly legal-knowledge lessons in classrooms to underserved students.
Students Demand Action - California
The student wing of Everytown for Gun Safety. California high schoolers join or start a Students Demand Action group at their school to organize around gun-violence prevention through advocacy campaigns, voter registration, and community organizing, in person and virtually.
Sunrise Movement Student Hubs
A national youth climate movement organized into local Student Hubs, defined as groups of at least five students at the same school. High schoolers can join an existing hub or start a new one to organize for climate action policy.
Sutter Health Junior Volunteer Program at Sutter Roseville Medical Center
A hospital-based junior volunteer program near Sacramento for high schoolers at least 16 by September 1, with a once-a-year application window in April, an interview and background check, and service supporting patients, families, and staff (non-clinical, no shadowing).
Sutter Health Youth Volunteer Program at Mills-Peninsula Medical Center
A hospital-based youth volunteer program for 16-17 year olds at Mills-Peninsula Medical Center in Burlingame, requiring a minimum weekly shift and exposing students to a clinical healthcare environment through non-medical support roles.
SWE Berkeley High School Engineering Program (HSEP)
Free Saturday program at UC Berkeley with SWE mentors, 10-week fall/spring term.
SWE Santa Clara Valley Scholarship
An annual scholarship pool of approximately $15,000 from the Santa Clara Valley Society of Women Engineers for students who identify as female pursuing engineering or computer science degrees, open to high school seniors through master's students who live or attend school in South San Mateo, South Alameda, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, or San Benito counties.
SWENext
Free year-round SWE membership connecting K-12 students to mentors and challenges.
Teen Community Emergency Response Team (Teen CERT)
A FEMA-backed, nationwide emergency-preparedness training that certifies teens in disaster-response skills like triage, fire safety, and shelter support so they can assist their school and community during emergencies and drills.
Teen Line (Los Angeles) Volunteer Listener Program
LA peer-support crisis hotline; trained teens answer calls/texts after intensive training.
teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA)
An evidence-based curriculum, adapted from Australia by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, that certifies students in grades 10-12 to recognize and respond to peers' mental health crises using a five-step action plan, delivered over 3-6 school sessions.
The Godwin Ogbeide Scholarship Foundation
Scholarship for Black HS seniors pursuing STEM, requiring academic achievement, community involvement, and commitment to STEM in college.
The Hidden Genius Project Immersion Program
An Oakland-founded nonprofit's flagship 15-month intensive for Black male high school students, providing 800+ hours of mentorship and training in computer science, software development, entrepreneurship, and leadership from Black technologists.
TiE Young Entrepreneurs – Orange County (TYE OC)
Students meet weekly at UCI to learn AI-enabled entrepreneurship, developing a startup from concept to investor pitch over 12 weeks.
TiE Young Entrepreneurs – Silicon Valley (TYE SV)
Students build a real startup in teams over 8 weeks, learning market research, business modeling, and investor pitching from mentors, culminating in pitch competitions.
Town of Danville – Volunteer Opportunities
City-run volunteer system for events, recreation, youth programs, and community projects.
Tri-Counties Bank Scholarship Program
Scholarships for students in Tri-Counties Bank's service area emphasizing academics, leadership, and community involvement.
Triton Museum of Art Teen Docent Program
Mentorship-based program in Santa Clara where teens study art history and appreciation with museum professionals while building skills for museum-curation careers.
TryHackMe
Gamified cybersecurity learning platform with hands-on labs and challenges. Learn penetration testing, web exploitation, and network security through interactive rooms.
U.S. Senate Youth Program – California (USSYP)
Elite national program sending two California high school student leaders to a week in Washington, D.C. to meet federal officials; each delegate receives a 10,000 USD undergraduate scholarship.
UC Berkeley SWE High School Engineering Program (HSEP)
A free 10-week Saturday-morning program run by UC Berkeley's Society of Women Engineers chapter that introduces high school girls to engineering fields through hands-on activities and near-peer mentorship.
UC Davis Health Equity Academy (HEALTH)
A free program for California high school students interested in medicine, pairing an in-person series of Saturday sessions at the UC Davis School of Medicine Sacramento campus with mentorship from healthcare professionals, medical students, and residents to build pathways into health careers for underserved communities.
UC Davis MIND Institute Child Life Volunteer Program
High school and adult volunteers at the UC Davis MIND Institute assist Child Life Specialists by providing play activities and supervision for children visiting the research and evaluation clinics, gaining exposure to a neurodevelopmental research setting.
UC Davis Vet Med Exploration Academy (VMEA)
A three-day fall academy at UC Davis's School of Veterinary Medicine, run in partnership with the Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP) and Breakthrough Sacramento, that gives local underrepresented high school students a first-hand look at veterinary medical education through lectures, clinical-skills labs, facility tours, and Center for Equine Health visits.
UCLA BrainSPORT – Youth Concussion/Neuroscience Internship
UCLA Health's BrainSPORT program offers an internship where students assist with concussion and brain-health research, data entry, outreach, and sometimes clinical observation.
UCLA Linguistics – Introduction & Outreach
UCLA Linguistics department resources including introductory materials and information about studying linguistics.
UCSB Yardi Scholarship for Environmental Justice
Scholarship for students committed to environmental justice and sustainability.
UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals Youth Advisory Council
A peer advisory council for current or former patients (and siblings) of UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland, where members advise hospital leadership, educate providers about the patient experience, and plan events for pediatric patients.
UCSF SEP Teen Wellness Summit on Mental Health
A free one-day mental health summit at UCSF's Mission Bay campus for about 150 Bay Area teens in grades 9-12, featuring a keynote, breakout sessions on brain science, mindfulness, and anxiety, a resource fair, and student speakers; the 2026 summit runs March 21.
UDC Capital Cup Entrepreneurship Competition
Global student pitch competition hosted by the University of the District of Columbia, where high schoolers submit a video pitch for an original business concept.
UMBC Cyber 101 Program
A free overnight program at UMBC's Center for Women in Technology introducing high school seniors (and select juniors) of all genders to cybersecurity and computing career pathways through an on-campus residential experience.
UNICEF USA High School Club
A youth-led club, chartered through UNICEF USA, where high schoolers advocate for children's rights worldwide, fundraise for UNICEF programs, and run monthly awareness campaigns tied to global human rights themes.
United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP)
The United States Senate Youth Program sends two student delegates from every state to a fully-funded Washington Week of briefings with U.S. senators, cabinet officials, and military and judicial leaders. Delegates must be nominated by their high school principal based on demonstrated leadership in student government or civic organizations, and each receives a $10,000 college scholarship.
United We Dream
The largest immigrant-youth-led network in the United States, where members, including high schoolers, advocate for immigrant rights through petitions, calls, texts, and local organizing chapters.
University of Chicago Linguistics – High School Resources
UChicago Linguistics department page with resources, puzzles, and information for high school students.
University of Utah High School Math Modeling Workshop
A math-modeling workshop for high schoolers run by the University of Utah math department.
Urban Peace Movement - Leaders In Training (L.I.T.)
An Oakland youth leadership program (Leaders In Training) for high schoolers from neighborhoods affected by violence and mass incarceration, who organize for public-policy change to build a culture of peace in their communities.
UrbanPlan for High School (ULI San Francisco)
A project-based learning curriculum unit, created with UC Berkeley's Fisher Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics, in which student teams role-play developers, city officials, and community members to redevelop a fictional neighborhood called Elmwood. Bay Area volunteers from the Urban Land Institute's San Francisco chapter run the simulation in economics and government classrooms at schools such as Piedmont High School and Eastside College Preparatory School.
VolunTEEN Program
Structured 80-hour program (offered 3x/year) where teens ages 14-16 learn marine-life facts and staff interactive guest stations throughout the Aquarium's galleries.
Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado – High School Conservation Leadership
Nine-month conservation leadership program for Front Range high school students (ages 14-18) led by adult volunteer mentors. Includes comprehensive training in trail building, ecological restoration, chainsaw certification, and wilderness first aid, plus regular hands-on stewardship projects on Colorado public lands.
Walnut Creek Community Garden Volunteers
Urban gardening volunteer program growing fresh produce for food banks and teaching sustainable agriculture. Youth learn about food systems, nutrition, and environmental stewardship.
Western Science Center Junior Volunteer Program
Fossil lab work cleaning/preparing Ice Age fossils in Hemet, CA.
WiCyS (Women in Cybersecurity) Student Chapters
Student chapters that run recruitment, retention, mentorship, and skill-building activities in cybersecurity, giving students community, mentorship, and access to WiCyS resources and events.
Wikitongues Youth Language Documentation Volunteering
A volunteer opportunity with the nonprofit Wikitongues, where students help record, transcribe, and archive oral histories and interviews with speakers of endangered and minority languages for a permanent public video archive.
Women in Aviation International: Girls in Aviation Day
An annual global outreach day introducing girls ages 8-17 to aviation and aerospace careers through local hands-on events, role-model panels, and activities, hosted by Women in Aviation International chapters worldwide, including in California.
Women's Audio Mission - Girls on the Mic (GOTM)
A free creative-technology and audio production training program for girls and gender-expansive youth ages 11-18 in Oakland and San Francisco, teaching beatmaking, podcast production, DJing, sound design, and songwriting in WAM's professional recording studios through partner schools and after-school sites.
Woodland Fire Explorer Post 911
A Boy Scouts of America-affiliated Explorer post hosted by the Woodland (CA) Fire Department near Sacramento, teaching high-school-aged youth all aspects of the fire service through hands-on training, mentorship from active firefighters, and community service projects. Meets three times a month at Woodland Fire Station 3.
World Relief Sacramento Good Neighbor Volunteer Program
A Sacramento refugee-resettlement agency program pairing volunteer teams with newly arrived refugee and immigrant families to share life skills, friendship, and cultural exchange over several months.
WriteGirl
A free, year-round creative writing and mentoring organization for teen girls and gender-expansive youth, offering online and in-person workshops, one-on-one mentoring with professional writers, and publishing opportunities open to participants nationwide.
Y-PLAN (Youth - Plan, Learn, Act Now)
An award-winning K-12 civic youth engagement initiative run by UC Berkeley's Center for Cities + Schools, in which students research real local challenges (like sea level rise, housing displacement, or transportation) and pitch concrete redevelopment proposals to actual city officials and planners. The program has partnered with schools in Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, East Palo Alto, San Rafael, and San Jose.
Yale Linguistics – Introduction to Linguistics
Yale Linguistics department resources including introductory materials and information about the field.
YMCA Youth & Government California (MLC)
Students draft legislation or argue court cases in local delegations, then attend statewide Training & Elections and Sacramento events as elected officials, lawyers, and judges.
Young Americans Center Youth Advisory Board
Leadership board that advises Young Americans Bank and the Young Americans Center for Financial Education's nonprofit programs. Members (rising 8th-12th graders from any Colorado school) gain hands-on knowledge of banking, business, philanthropy, and PR; volunteer at Young Americans events; and develop presentation, networking, and leadership skills. Monthly meetings on the second Saturday of each month, August through May. Application + interview process; applications open April 1 - June 26.
Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) – Manhattan Beach
24-week evening program at Mira Costa HS where students conceive, plan, and launch a real business, with the chapter winner advancing to YEA! Nationals.
Young Founders Lab
Virtual startup bootcamp founded by Harvard entrepreneurs where students build a revenue-generating startup or nonprofit with one-on-one mentorship, ending in a demo day.
Young People's Symphony Orchestra (YPSO)
Oldest independent youth orchestra in the nation, based in Berkeley, drawing Bay Area musicians ages 11-21 for weekly rehearsals, a retreat, and subscription concerts.
Youth Art Exchange – Youth Advisory Board
Paid year-round leadership and advisory role for teens shaping YAX programming, events, and outreach; combines art, youth voice, and community organizing.
Youth Art Exchange (YAX) Free Art Programs
Free after-school and weekend classes for SF public high school students in animation, architecture, mural arts, printmaking, fashion, darkroom photo, etc.
Youth Communication - YCteen Magazine
A New York City nonprofit youth media organization where teen writers receive paid work experience and mentorship from professional editors as they turn personal experience into published stories for YCteen magazine.
Youth Law Academy (Centro Legal de la Raza)
The Youth Law Academy is a three-year legal pathway program at Centro Legal de la Raza for Oakland high school students, combining mentorship, legal-education workshops, and college-access support beginning in 9th grade. Students build confidence navigating the legal system while preparing for college and law-related careers.
Youth Leadership Institute: Tobacco Prevention – Youth Advisory Group
A San Mateo County student-led advocacy group for grades 8-12 that raises awareness about tobacco and vaping, consults on county tobacco-control initiatives, and uses tools like Photovoice to document community health issues.
Youth MOVE National
A youth-driven national membership organization (Motivating Others through Voices of Experience) with 40+ chapters in which young people under 30 advocate for improvements to youth mental health, juvenile justice, and education systems.
Youth of the Year Award - California-Nevada District
District and national award program recognizing youth with strong character, academic excellence, and community service, with scholarships up to $15,000 for national winners.
Zayed Sustainability Prize — Global High Schools
Student-led teams design and propose sustainability projects addressing health, food, energy, or water in their community; six regional winning schools receive funding to implement the project.
ECFinder provides links to outside extracurricular opportunities for informational purposes only. Students and families should research each program before applying. ECFinder does not operate or control the listed organizations and is not responsible for their actions or policies.