High School Opportunities

Week-long intro to aerospace engineering summer camp with class-based learning and hands-on activities

CTY's gifted and talented summer programs offer bright students the opportunity to engage in challenging academic work in the company of peers who share their exceptional abilities and love of learning. While the focus is on rigorous academics and learning, the social experience that results from bringing these students together is an integral part of the program. It is also NOT just in Maryland - you can apply to be a resident at any participating college campuses.

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The National Security Agency Gifted and Talented Program is only open to High School Seniors. The program is designed for students who have demonstrated an aptitude for engineering, science, technology, and mathematics. Students work 10 to 12 weeks during the summer following their senior year. Students must be 16 years of age to begin the program and have at least 1200 on the SAT or 25 on the ACT. GPA of 3.5 (unweighted) or above is preferred. G&T STEM is open to high school seniors with at least an AP/IBPhysics and AP/IB Calculus course and either a computer science, computer programming, or an engineering course by senior year.

The High School Work Study (HSWS) Program is a highly competitive program designed for high school students who plan to participate in a school-sponsored work experience program during their senior year. Students are hired as part-time NSA employees from September to June of their senior year. Students can apply for the following positions: Business, Computers, Engineering, Manufacturing, Construction, Graphic Arts, Chinese Language, and Russian Language. HSWS is open to high school juniors with a minimum of at least two courses in the desired field of study. GPA of 2.5 (unweighted) or above is preferred. Students must be 16 years of age by Dec. 31 of high school junior year. Benefits include paid time off, competitive pay, holiday and sick leave, and real-world experience.

The Stokes Educational Scholarship Program is a tremendous opportunity to gain valuable experience in your field while attending college and earning a degree. The Stokes Program is open to high school seniors, particularly minority students, planning to major in computer science or computer/electrical engineering. With the Stokes Program, you will attend college full-time, then work during the summer at NSA’s HQ in Fort Meade, Maryland, for a minimum of 12 weeks in areas related to your course of study. You will acquire real-world experience and receive a salary year-round. By participating in the Stokes Educational Scholarship Program, you agree to work for NSA for at least 1.5 times the length of study upon graduation. Benefits include tuition and mandatory fees up to $30,000 per year, and paid time off, health & life insurance, and federal retirement plan. Applicants should have a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and minimum SAT/College Board Score of 1200 (600 Reading and Writing AND 600 Math) or ACT score of 25.

Each summer, 80 of the world's most accomplished high school students gather at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for the Research Science Institute (RSI). RSI is the first cost-free to students, summer science & engineering program to combine on-campus course work in scientific theory with off-campus work in science and technology research. Participants experience the entire research cycle from start to finish. They read the most current literature in their field, draft and execute a detailed research plan, and deliver conference-style oral and written reports on their findings. RSI scholars first participate in a week of intensive STEM classes with accomplished professors. The heart of RSI is the five week research internship where students conduct individual projects under the tutelage of mentors who are experienced scientists and researchers. During the final week of RSI, students prepare written and oral presentations on their research projects.

The Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) provides an opportunity for high school students to participate in research at a Department of Navy (DoN) laboratory during the summer.

The goals of SEAP are to encourage participating high school students to pursue science and engineering careers, to further their education via mentoring by laboratory personnel and their participation in research, and to make them aware of DoN research and technology efforts, which can lead to employment within the DoN.

SEAP is providing competitive research internships to 250 high school students this year. Participating students spend eight weeks during the summer doing research at 28 DoN laboratories.

The Scripps High School Student Research Education Program exposes students to contemporary issues in biomedical research and provides hands-on laboratory experience and mentorship. It is committed to increasing the number of talented students who choose a career in the biological and chemical sciences, particularly first-generation college-bound students and students from underrepresented groups in science. This program will begin with a three-day pre-internship training course followed by a seven-week paid research internship. Through an interview process with principal investigators, students are matched with a research laboratory for an internship. Students are awarded a gross compensation of $12.50 per hour for the summer internship program. Students must be a San Diego resident, be at least 16 years of age before the start of the program in June, have successfully completed at least one year each of high school-level chemistry and biology, and have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (out of a 4.0 scale).

Students conduct basic biomedical research in a laboratory under the supervision of a Scripps Research scientist. The eight week program emphasizes the scientific process, research planning, bench experience, experimental design, data analysis and interaction with laboratory personnel. Student participants also attend scientific seminars throughout the course of the summer that introduce them to a wide array of research topics. Students must arrange for daily transportation to and from the Scripps Research Florida campus in Jupiter as transportation and housing arrangements for program participants are not provided. Students must be 16 years of age or older by the first day of the program, be beginning their junior or senior years in a Palm Beach County high school in the fall of that year, and must have a minimum 3.0 GPA (out of a 4.0 scale). Students are awarded a stipend of $11.50 per hour.