Audrey Stam

January 30, 2013

When it comes to summer jobs, most of us Prepsters don’t know where to start, thinking we’re too young or under-qualified, but the truth is that there are countless summer internships and programs that exist which are available for students like you to sign up for now!

Internships/Organizations: While also giving you the opportunity to meet new people and learn valuable new skills, summer internships are a great way to get an understand of the career-world and can hopefully spark interest for a particular organization or program of study to pursue in one’s college years and beyond.

• TIPS: Teens in Public Service – this organization hires students from the ages of 15 to 19 and gives them the opportunity to work summer internships at non-profit organizations. While receiving hundreds of applications each year, TIPS can’t accept everyone so look to apply early! Students work from 6-8 weeks about 30 hours per week and have the chance to excel in leadership, service, public speaking, and other activities while also getting a paycheck! •
• Teens 4 Hire, SummerJobs.com, SnagaJob.com – these are just a few sites to look up if you are interested in working in a particular field as a teenager and can help you find summer jobs and hourly jobs that you’re looking for.
• Team Read – Team Read is an organization that pairs high school students with second-and third-graders who work together to help improve the reading and writing skills of a child attending one of the selected public schools in Seattle. The high school tutor meets their student twice a week for a school year to help develop the student’s reading skills as well as giving the high school student the opportunity to grow with respect to work experience, service, responsibility, and the gift getting the opportunity to teach a child a valuable skill. As a former Team Read volunteer, I can defend this organization as being one of the most successful groups in Seattle that teaches valuable like skills to the mentee as well as the mentor. 
• Youth Force – Youth Force partners with various businesses in the greater Seattle area to offer students the chance to gain valuable work experience, create lasting friendships, and inspire interests in a particular career. This is a Boys & Girls Club of King County educational service dedicated to improving teen’s job skills as well as career and educational growth.

Programs: If you aren’t travelling with the family or simply want to enrich yourself culturally, educationally, or globally, check out these wonderful summer programs offered to students just like you! 

• Rustic Pathways – Rustic Pathways is an organization that includes over 150 different programs for students to visit over 22 possible countries around the world during the summer. Become enriched in a different culture or lifestyle in a foreign country while also gaining educational opportunities as well as community service and language development. Who would want to miss the chance to travel across the country and have an adventure while making lasting memories and learning valuable skills and lessons? While also benefiting the students and the staff of the organization, Rustic Pathways also impacts the countries in which they serve and attempts to break the barriers separating our ways of life and help us grow in unity through culture and education.
• Women Fly! At the Museum of Flight – Women Fly is an annual program offered at the Museum of Flight that is specifically dedicated to young women in middle and high school who are interested in aviation and becoming aerospace engineer. If you have even the slightest inclination to want to know more about this wonderful career that influences all our lives, make sure to look into this program! The girls who attend the session will have the opportunity to meet with professionals in the field who can hopefully guide young women into pursuing their dream of working in aviation! A series of motivational and career-building activities including hands-on workshops, presentations, motivational women of the aviation and aerospace profession, and of course, food! This event will take place with interested girls from all over the city so make sure to book your ticket by February 27th (the deadline to turn in registration forms!) because it takes place on March 8, 2013! Get the chance to meet one of the most a dedicated workers in the field, Dr. Ashley Stroupe, who works with NASA Rover Engineering and has a Ph.D. in Robotics. This year, Women Fly is using the theme “50 Years of Women in Space” to celebrate the wonderful accomplishments of dedicated women throughout the years.
• Cougar Quest – Hosted by Washington State University, Cougar Quest is a summer school program that offers students from grades 7-12 the opportunity to excel in their academics while also meeting new people and enjoying their time. This week-long academic program has been going on for 11 years. Learn about areas that interest you with students hoping to pursue the same passions such as Veterinary Science, Environmental Science, Video Game Programming, Culinary Arts, and Fashion Design just to name a few. Most importantly, you’ll be on a college campus, taught mostly be WSU professors who will help educate their students through hands-on learning while also becoming acquainted with the college lifestyle, so seize the opportunity to become enriched in what you love now!