The New York Times – 16th Annual Summer Reading Contest

The New York Times – 16th Annual Summer Reading Contest

Students are invited to tell the NYT’s what they’re reading in The Times and why, this year in writing OR via a 90-second video.

Contest dates: June 6 to Aug. 15, 2025

Our Summer Reading Contest is our longest-running challenge — and our simplest.

All you have to do to participate is tell us what you’re reading, watching or listening to in The New York Times and why. Students can enter by submitting a short written response — or they can make a video up to 90 seconds long.

Don’t have a subscription? No problem! We’ll be providing dozens of free links to teen-friendly articles, essays, videos, podcasts and graphics every week from June through August.

Got questions? Everything you need is detailed below.

But if you’re a teacher who would like to have your students practice for this now, before the contest begins, note that the only rule around content is that a piece must have been published in 2025. Beyond that, we don’t care if your students pick something on sneakersstarlightSyria or Saturday Night LiveTikTok, the tropicsTrump or Timothée Chalamet.

The announcement is available as a one-page PDF to download!

*Stay in the know! Subscribe*

 

 

Free summer AP prep courses for high school students

Free summer AP prep courses for high school students

The Gilder Lehrman History School program is back!

History School is open to all high school students and available free of charge. All courses are led by a History Teacher of the Year-winning educator and consist of 6 one-hour-long classes held weekly via Zoom.

Registration is now open for the following courses:

*Stay in the know! Subscribe*

Born This Way Foundation – Youth Advisory Board Application

Born This Way Foundation – Youth Advisory Board Application

The information below is from the Born This Way Foundation:

Born This Way Foundation, at its core, is an organization informed, shaped, and led by the young people with and for whom we do this work. Young people want to build a kinder and braver world, and know how to do so, and it’s up to us to connect them with the platforms and resources they need to make that future possible. Apply to join a visionary group of leaders ages 15-24.

Our 2023 Youth Advisory Board cohort showed kindness is action, and that action is undeniably linked with our mental health and wellbeing. This group of global leaders launched their own nonprofits, community projects, media platforms, technology solutions, and more; all in service of mental health advocacy and building kinder environments where young people can thrive. They teach us every single day that there is no one way to be kind, to show up for your own and others’ mental health, but each path you take is valid and necessary for our collective wellbeing.

We hope you’ll consider clicking here to apply by our deadline of Tuesday, November 26, or sharing this link with a young person in your life so they can be part of this incredible experience: bornthisway.foundation/advisory-board-application.

*Stay in the know! Subscribe*

Why Extracurriculars are Essential, Not Extra

Why Extracurriculars are Essential, Not Extra

Sharing a JHU CTY Online Event (that applies to everyone!). Your extracurriculars are very, very important when it comes to applying to college, not because you need a laundry list of interests and accomplishments, but because they show admissions officers what you care about, how you engage with your community, and what excites you intellectually and academically.

We place so much emphasis on what advanced learners learn in school, but what they learn outside of school is also important. Join CTY executive director Amy Lynne Shelton, PhD, as she talks about why learning outside of school is critical and how families can make the most of this time to help their advanced learners develop skills, explore new interests, and learn what they love.

More information and register here.

*Stay in the know! Subscribe*

 

Registration for the 2024-2025 Wharton Global High School Investment Competition is now open!

Registration for the 2024-2025 Wharton Global High School Investment Competition is now open!

Don’t miss your chance to compete in the Wharton Global High School Investment Competition.

Important details, dates, as well as helpful resources and tools can be found here: https://globalyouth.wharton.upenn.edu/investment-competition/

The competition is a free, English-based, experiential investment challenge for high school students and teachers that includes an online trading simulator. Participants compete with other students from around the world and learn about finance, teamwork, strategy building, analysis, communication, and the stock market.

*Stay in the know! Subscribe*

 

Calling All Young Writers: Submit to the Adroit Prizes and the Summer Mentorship Program!

Calling All Young Writers: Submit to the Adroit Prizes and the Summer Mentorship Program!

For those looking to develop as a writer and work with a mentor…

Adroit is accepting applications from current high school students (including seniors!) for their online summer mentorship program through April 7th @ 11:59pm PT.

For guidance and answers to Frequently Asked Questions, please visit our Mentorship FAQ page.

For those with a polished piece of poetry or prose that’s ready for submission…the Adroit Prizes, awarded annually to two students of secondary or undergraduate status, are open for submissions.

The 2024 Adroit Prize for Poetry will be selected by Ocean Vuong; the 2024 Adroit Prize for Prose will be selected by Kaveh Akbar. The submission deadline for the 2024 Adroit Prizes is May 1st, 2024 @ 11:59pm PT.

If you would like to submit your work, please familiarize yourself with the submission guidelines.

*Stay in the know! Subscribe*

Hillel’s Virtual College Prep Series

Hillel’s Virtual College Prep Series

We’d like to share a series of three virtual events from Hillel International, the world’s largest Jewish campus organization.

Session 1 (Recorded):

College Selection: Choosing the Best Fit for You. February 29, 2024 | 12 p.m. ET | 9 a.m. PT – Choosing the right school can be a little (or a lot) overwhelming — especially with so many factors to consider. And while there’s not yet a magic wand or AI to generate the perfect college match, Hillel’s tools and resources can get you pretty close. The first session of Hillel’s Virtual College Prep Series will focus on the college selection process, and provide you with the tools you need to find the best fit, featuring top college counselors, current Jewish college student leaders, and experts from Hillel as well as partners in youth and teen programming.

Session 2:

Careful Considerations: Antisemitism on Campus. April 2, 2024 | 12 p.m. ET | 9 a.m. PT – Since the attack on Israel on October 7, antisemitism has risen to historically high levels in the U.S. and around the world — and college campuses have not been immune from this surge in hate. With antisemitism on the minds of so many in the Jewish community, we want to ensure that Jewish parents and families have the information they need about what antisemitism and Jewish life on campus are truly like right now.

Session 3:

Looking Forward: Hillel’s Exciting Opportunities for Students. May 23, 2024 |  12 p.m. ET | 9 a.m. PT – This session will explore all of the exciting opportunities Hillel has for incoming first-year Jewish college students, including scholarships, graduation gifts, early move-in, travel opportunities, and leadership experiences — for all kinds of Jewish students!

You can register in advance for the webinars here. If you can’t make a session, they are recorded, and you can watch at your convenience.

*Stay in the know! Subscribe*

 

 

Best Summer Programs for High School Students: Law, Government, Politics, International Relations

Best Summer Programs for High School Students: Law, Government, Politics, International Relations

The following programs are some of our favorites for students interested in government, politics, law and IR.

Boys State/Girls State participants learn the rights, privileges and responsibilities of franchised citizens. The training is objective and centers on the structure of city, county and state governments. Operated by students elected to various offices, Boys State activities include legislative sessions, court proceedings, law-enforcement presentations, assemblies, bands, choruses and recreational programs. Legion posts select high school juniors to attend the program. In most cases, individual expenses are paid by a sponsoring post, a local business or another community-based organization.

The Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellowship fosters relationships among the younger generation of Europeans and Americans to build strong linkages and an awareness of shared values. The Fellowship engages 45 teenagers from Europe and ten American teenagers (ages 16 – 18) in a four-week U.S.-based exchange program that aims to reinforce the transatlantic relationship. During the Fellowship, participants will explore transatlantic relations, leadership development, critical thinking, diplomacy, community activism, and the media in order to unite young adults around common goals, using the legacy of Benjamin Franklin as a framework. American youth are eligible to participate in the fellowship, but do not travel abroad. This fellowship is funded.

The United Nations Association of Greater Boston’s Summer Institute in Global Leadership offers week-long Model UN programs for students from all over the world to work together and address global issues. Learn about global issues, build skills for life and leadership, and collaborate with students from across the world during our week-long Model UN programs! In-person and virtual options.

The U.S. Department of State’s National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) program provides critical language study overseas for U.S. high school students through full scholarships to participate in intensive summer and academic year programs. Participants study one of the eight NSLI-Y languages while immersed in the culture and day-to-day life of the host country. NSLI-Y is part of the National Security Language Initiative, a multi-agency U.S. government initiative launched in 2006 to improve Americans’ ability to engage with people from around the world. NSLI-Y plays an important role in preparing U.S. students for the 21st century’s globalized workforce and contributes to national security. NSLI-Y participants serve as citizen ambassadors, representing the diversity of the United States abroad and building lasting relationships with people in their host countries. If you have a passion for learning languages and want to immerse yourself in a foreign culture, this program may be for you! No previous language skills are required. NSLI-Y languages: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Persian (Tajiki), Russian, Turkish.

Onero Institute Virtual Teams. ​The Onero Institute produces high-level content on international affairs topics in new and creative ways. They develop projects specially designed for social media platforms to better engage young people on global issues and to bring credible content to an increasingly important space. Join the Virtual Engagement Team to take part in this unique area of today’s international discourse. If you would like to join but need more experience developing such projects, participate in the Virtual Engagement Program (VEP) to build up your skills in graphic design, concise writing, teamwork, and research.

The Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate is dedicated to educating the public about the important role of the Senate in our government, encouraging participatory democracy, invigorating civil discourse, and inspiring the next generation of citizens and leaders to engage in the civic life of their communities. They now offer virtual programming.

Temple of Understanding Internship Program provides individuals with a hands-on learning experience of the work of the United Nations for four and a half intensive weeks. Students often discover their passion for a career in foreign affairs and related fields. Applicants are from different parts of the United States, as well as many other countries. Students accepted into this program have the opportunity to meet with different Missions and NGOs for discussions based on their specific questions and interests. Applicants are from different parts of the United States, as well as many other countries, and must be 17 years old by June 20 of the given Internship year.


Senate Page Program

Contact your senator’s office for more information on applying to be a Senate Page.

For Rising 9th Graders

The Summer Law Institute (SLI) is a five-week, summer law program for students who have just completed their eighth grade school year. The Summer Law Institute pushes rising ninth graders to see themselves as young professionals-in-training. The program exposes them to positive and successful role models, involves them in professional activities, and places them on a path that can lead to the fulfillment of their dreams. Students who complete the SLI are eligible to apply to our 4-year College Bound program.

Volunteer/Internship Opportunities:

Rock the Vote

US Department of Education

For the Many

*Stay in the know! Subscribe*

 

Best Summer Programs for High School Students: Math

Best Summer Programs for High School Students: Math

The following summer activities are some of our favorites for students interested in math.

Hampshire College Summer Studies in Mathematics (HCSSiM)

HCSSiM is an intensive six-week encounter with college-level mathematics for talented and highly motivated high school students. It is demanding and expanding. Participants spend a major portion of each day actively engaged in doing mathematics (not simply learning the results of mathematics). HCSSiM students live in the dorms at Hampshire College in Massachusetts for six summer weeks, and study and play in its fields, woods, and academic buildings (not typically in that order). Typically, there are as many girls and non-binary students as boys. The daily schedule includes 4 hours of morning classes (Mon-Sat), the pre-supper Prime Time Theorem, and evening problem sessions. Afternoons are devoted to reading, rest, recreation, occasional trips to town, and informal study. Participants have unparalleled access to faculty members in classrooms, at meals, and in the program dorm. Productive collaborations continue long after the program, and many lifelong friendships are forged.

MathILy

Do you want to explore and create mathematics? Then read on, for that’s what MathILy is all about! In MathILy classes, instructors provide the framework and you get to make (and prove!) the conjectures. You will encounter new ideas, improve your problem-solving skills, learn lots and lots of advanced mathematics, and hone your overall thinking skills. You’ll meet others like you. (Yes, really. We promise.) Most of all, you will find serious mathematics infused with levity. MathILy is five weeks of maximized mathematical marvelousness. MathILy is designed for students with an insatiable curiosity about mathematics and who are creative and enthusiastic in their approaches to learning. Participants come from all over the United States and, sometimes, the world.

Program in Mathematics for Young Scientists (PROMYS)

PROMYS is a six-week summer program in mathematics for strongly motivated high school students who are carefully selected from across the U.S. and around the world. Founded in 1989, PROMYS is a residential program held on the campus of Boston University with approximately 80 high school students and 25 undergraduate counselors. PROMYS is particularly interested in increasing diversity in mathematics and in science and technology opportunities more broadly. They strongly encourage students who are female, Black, Latino/a, or from other groups underrepresented in STEM to apply.

The Ross Program

The first year course in the Ross Program is organized around a series of daily problem sets in number theory. These sets invite the participants to contemplate a variety of seemingly simple questions about numbers and their relationships. As the summer progresses students are encouraged to investigate these questions in increasing depth, and to return to them periodically as their skill at abstract reasoning and their collection of available tools become more powerful. This spiraling of concepts is summarized in the Ross Program’s motto: “Think deeply about simple things.”Students should expect to get deeply involved in intensive, mathematical work. Although formal classes take up only eight hours per week, Ross participants work hard during the many hours of unstructured time. They think about the many mathematical problems, and struggle with the difficulties. After a lot of effort they finally develop methods of thought that will prove useful in many aspects of their scientific lives.

Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC)

Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC) welcomes a select group of rising high school juniors and seniors from around the world for intensive study in advanced mathematics. SUMaC leads participants on a journey in advanced mathematics through lectures, guided research, and group problem-solving. In an environment centered on mathematics, participants explore current lines of mathematical research, the historical development of important areas of mathematics, and applications across scientific disciplines. SUMaC is for students who have an exceptional interest in mathematics, and who are prepared for study of abstract algebra and number theory, or algebraic topology.  Similar to what they would experience in a college course, participants can expect a heavy and engaging workload of assignments to work on outside of the live class meeting times.

Summer Workshop in Math @ Duke University

Summer Workshop in Math (SWiM) is a free workshop for rising high school seniors who are interested in mathematics, with a particular focus on advancing female participation in math. SWiM is particularly interested in increasing diversity in mathematics and in science and technology opportunities more broadly, so SWiM strongly encourages students to apply who are female or gender minorities, who are in their junior year of high school, and who are citizens or permanent residents of and reside in the US if held online.

Canada/USA Mathcamp

Canada/USA Mathcamp is an immersive summer experience for mathematically talented students ages 13–18 from all over the world. It is an intensive 5-week-long summer program for mathematically talented high school students, designed to expose these students to the beauty of advanced mathematical ideas and to new ways of thinking. More than just a summer camp, Mathcamp is a vibrant community, made up of a wide variety of people who share a common love of learning and passion for mathematics. At Mathcamp, students can explore undergraduate and even graduate-level topics while building problem-solving skills that will help them in any field they choose to study.

*Stay in the know! Subscribe*

Best Summer Programs for High School Students: Sports Business/Management

Best Summer Programs for High School Students: Sports Business/Management

The following programs are some of our favorites for students interested in exploring different career paths in sports and the business of sports.

Quinnipiac: Modern Storytelling: Sports Journalism

Quinnipiac professors and sports journalism professionals champion this 1-week program for students to gain hands-on experience as sports journalists and develop an understanding of potential career opportunities. Attendees write, edit, record and produce sports stories both on and off campus while learning the basics of interviewing athletes and conducting press conferences.

ROC Nation Summer Sports Management Academy

New York City is home to one of the largest and iconic sports markets in the world, and the Roc Nation Sports Management Academy is at the center of it all! The Academy’s experiential learning model provides opportunities to explore what it’s like to sign an athlete, negotiate a deal, manage a venue, or run an athletic program. In addition to attending major sporting events, Academy participants study with industry leaders and professional athletes, learning how to translate a passion for sports into a flourishing career. Participants also have a unique opportunity to engage with the booming billion-dollar global eSports industry in LIU’s state-of-the-art eSports arena. This Academy inspires young students, athletes, entrepreneurs, and sports fans to become the next great sports industry professionals.

Isenberg Sport Management & Leadership Academy

McCormack’s summer Sport Management & Leadership Academy provides a platform for high school students to learn practical sport business applications and industry insights from our world-renowned faculty and industry-leading alumni. During this two-week program, students immerse themselves in key segments and critical issues relevant to the highly competitive sports and entertainment industry, such as:

  • Sport & Digital Media
  • Sport Marketing & Sales
  • Diversity & Inclusion in Sport Organizations
  • Player Performance & Data Analytics
  • Player Representation & Athlete Endorsement

Rawlings Sport Business Management Summer Institute

Three day online program ($100). Experiential-based learning. Students learn theory in the classroom, put theory to work in real-time projects, and present those projects back to industry professionals.

LIU Sport Marketing 

SPM 142 – Sports Marketing. This course focuses on the process of designing and implementing activities for the promotion and distribution of a sport product to a consumer. The principal steps in developing a marketing plan are outlined.

Global Sports and Entertainment Business Academy

The mission of Global Sports & Entertainment Business Academy is to provide all participants insight into the sports and entertainment industries. Our students will not only be introduced to a broad array of career opportunities, but they will also leave with a solid understanding of the business disciplines that constitute and contribute to the business such as management, advertising, sponsorship, technology, marketing, law, media, and other areas related to the sports and entertainment industries. Students will also practice leadership and teamwork as they engage in a variety of team-oriented activities.

Coursera/edX FREE Classes

Esports

Sports Sponsorship

Becoming a Sports Agent

Activism in Sports and Culture

*Stay in the know! Subscribe*