Houston

A Better Chance – National *
Grades: 4-9
A Better Chance seeks to increase substantially the number of well-educated young people of color who are capable of assuming positions of responsibility and leadership in American society. This is done by facilitating their entry into independent college preparatory schools. Through its network of member schools, A Better Chance is able to leverage an estimated $20+ million per year in financial aid for talented, economically disadvantaged youth of color. More than 96% of A Better Chance's graduates go on to college directly after high school, a majority entering our country's most selective colleges.

Academically Interested Minds (AIM) – Kettering University – National
Grades: 11
AIM (Academically Interested Minds) is a five-week residential pre-college summer program which began in 1984 and has continued to thrive over the years. The program is designed to augment Kettering University's efforts to reach a greater number of multicultural students who have a strong interest in the areas of engineering, math, science and business.

ACT-SO – National
Grades: 9-12
The NAACP's Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics is a yearlong achievement program designed to recruit, stimulate, and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African-American high school students.

Bauer Summer Business Institute (BSBI) – University of Houston
Grades: 11-12
The Bauer Summer Business Institute (BSBI) is a three-day event designed for high school juniors and seniors to develop leadership skills, set goals for their future (both personally and in business), discover their future career in business, and experience the Houston business community through experiential learning and site tours.

Carleton Liberal Arts Experience – National
Grades: 10
Carleton College is honored to host an inspiring summer program designed for the best and brightest college-bound students representing high schools across the country. The Carleton Liberal Arts Experience (CLAE) will select 50 high school students who have just completed their sophomore year and bring them to Carleton, all expenses paid, for a one-week summer program. The CLAE program introduces the strengths of a liberal arts education through an array of courses in science, art, social sciences, and technology.

DREAM Program – Rice University
Grades: K-12
DREAM seeks to increase the number of underrepresented minority students in STEM degree programs, particularly engineering. DREAM is structured on a foundation of long-term mentoring. Volunteer mentors (engineering students) and mentees (underrepresented, underserved K–12 students) carry out group design projects using commonly available materials to solve a series of tasks. High contact hours in small group settings are critical to the success of DREAM.

EXPLORE Programs – University of Houston
Grades: 8-9
The University of Houston C. T. Bauer College of Business is pleased to invite current 8-9th grade students to EXPLORE our Residential Summer Business Camps. Each week, 20 students will have the chance to learn about the various opportunities and resources in a university environment. EXPLORE will focus on three topics: Energy & Sustainability, Entrepreneurship, and Sales & Marketing.

The Forge
All ages
The Forge for Families is holistically addressing the needs of our community and encouraging children and adults through children’s programming (educational & athletic), practical parent training, pre-marital and marital counseling, and economic development. Youth Educational Training addresses basic, yet fundamental needs for select youth. These include but are not limited to: literacy training, ESL, elocution training via dramas and debate, apprenticeships through corporate partnerships, and Agoge camps that challenge participants physically and mentally while encouraging selfless-service.

Girls Inc. of Houston – National
Grades: 6-18
Our goal is to provide every girl with a safe after school environment where she can try new things, master physical, intellectual, and emotional challenges and develop the goals and skills that will lead her to a successful future. We do this by focusing on health and wellness, financial literacy, college preparation, career exposure, leadership development and the STEM fields.

GRADE Camp – University of Houston
Grades: 8-12
G.R.A.D.E. CAMP is a week-long day program designed specifically for entering 8th to 12th grade girls who want to find out what engineering is all about through "hands-on" experience. G.R.A.D.E. CAMP emphasizes career exposure rather than career choice, so you can come just to experience something new.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund – National
Grades: 9-12
The HSF's mission is to increase the number of Hispanic college graduates by awarding scholarships and assisting students and their families in navigating the barriers to college access and completion.

Hope for Youth
Grades: 11-12
Hope for Youth challenges and enables disadvantaged youth to reach their full potential academically, socially, and spiritually through Christian mentoring relationships.

Houston Community College Upward Bound
Grades: 9-12
The Upward Bound program recruits H.I.S.D. students from the 9th and 10th grades in order to aid and encourage them to successfully complete high school, enroll in a post-secondary institution and graduate from that institution. The program has two components, an academic year component and a summer component. During the fall and spring semesters, the program provides supplemental academic classes and cultural enrichment activities on Saturdays from 8:00a.m. through 4:30p.m. The summer component focuses on academic skills and comprehensive test preparation for six-weeks.

Houston PREP
Grades: 6-12
The goal of the Houston PRefreshman Enrichment Program (Houston PREP) is to enhance the academic backgrounds of socially and economically disadvantaged students at the middle and high school level. Our curriculum focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses in order to improve students' comprehension in these topics and emphasize the importance of STEM fields in today’s world. Houston PREP is directed toward the reinforcement of the normal pre-college mathematics instructional program by discussing college level topics not offered in high school or middle school. Program participants agree to commit themselves to six weeks of intellectually demanding classes. 

Houston Scholar Program
Grades: 8-12
Houston Scholar Program (HSP) began in 2003 to work with talented, college focused students to help them reach their full potential by matriculating to, and graduating from, one of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the country. Traditionally HSP has worked solely with high school students. To increase the breadth and depth of HSP’s efforts, students entering 8th grade are now eligible to apply to be an HSP Junior Scholar. If an HSP Junior Scholar demonstrates a commitment to academic excellence and the HSP values during his/her 8th grade year, the student is invited to be an HSP Senior Scholar during his/her 4 years of high school.

Houston Southeast Community College Upward Bound
Grades: 9-12
Upward Bound, a part of the TRIO federally funded programs, helps young people prepare for higher education. Participants receive instruction in literature, composition, foreign languages, mathematics, and science on college campuses. Upward Bound members participate in Saturday academic classes, six-week summer academic classes, field trips and cultural enrichment experiences throughout the year. 

 

Jack Kent Cooke Foundation – National
Grades: 7-12
The Young Scholars Program provides the most personalized, generous scholarship experience in the nation. The Foundation works closely with Scholars and their families to construct a tailored educational program that includes, but is not limited to, support for summer programs, distance learning courses, and music and art instruction. Some Young Scholars attend a private school if none of their public school options adequately serve their academic potential; however, many stay in their public schools.

Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America (LEDA) – National
Grades: 11-12
LEDA (Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America) is a not-for-profit organization devoted to developing leaders for our nation by helping exceptional public high school students who come from underserved backgrounds gain admission to the country's leading colleges and universities.

 

Minority Introduction to Engineering & Science (MITES) – MIT – National 
Grades: 11
Through the MITES (Minority Introduction to Engineering and Science) program, The Office of Engineering Outreach Programs offers three rigorous residential and online academic enrichment programs for promising high school juniors who are interested in studying and exploring careers in science and engineering. By submitting a MITES application, students are automatically considered for one of three academic enrichment opportunities: a one-week residential program, a six-week residential program, and a six-month online enrichment program.

National Hispanic Institute – National
Grades: 9-College
We are both a national and international organization that provides Latino young people with the structures and settings to envision themselves as future community leaders, practice their skills in leading and working with others, and engage in critical discussions to define their calling while preparing themselves for the mission of changing lives. Dedication to personal excellence, a strong belief in family and culture, and service to others are the core values and beliefs that drive the work of the Institute and embrace its vision.

National Space Club Scholars – National 
Grades: 10
The National Space Club Scholars Project is a summer intern experience for up to 30 high school students to work with space scientists and engineers. The purpose of this project is to provide students with an opportunity to experience how research and development organizations operate on a day-to-day basis in direct support of NASA's mission to inspire the next generation of explorers. Participants are assigned to work with a technical professional in a field related to the student's stated interests and expertise. The available areas of interest include Earth and space systems science, computer science, and engineering.

Princeton University Summer Journalism Program – National
Grades: 11
We welcome about 20 high school students from low-income backgrounds every summer to Princeton's campus for an intensive, 10-day seminar on journalism. The program's goal is to diversify college and professional newsrooms by encouraging outstanding students from low-income backgrounds to pursue careers in journalism. All expenses, including students' travel costs to and from Princeton, are paid for by the program.

QuestBridge – National
Grades: 11-12
QuestBridge is a powerful platform bridging the nation's brightest, under-served youth and leading institutions of higher education and further opportunities. We are an aggregator of excellence. QuestBridge provides a single, internet-based meeting point which links exceptional students with colleges, scholarship providers, enrichment programs employers, and organizations seeking students who have excelled despite obstacles. By facilitating these exchanges, QuestBridge aims to increase the percentage of talented low-income students attending the nation's best universities and the ranks of national leadership itself.

Research Science Institute – MIT – National
Grades: 9-11
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. 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.

Rice Summer Business Institute (RSBI)
Grades: 9-12
The Rice Summer Business Institute (RSBI) introduces students to the world of business and finance. Throughout the course, students address questions such as: How does the stock market work, and how do I manage a portfolio? How does Nike maintain brand dominance? I have a great idea for a new business; how do I make it happen? How do I make ethical business decisions and inspire others to follow me?

Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) – National
Grades: 9-12
The Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) provides an opportunity for students to participate in research at a Department of Navy (DoN) laboratory during the summer. The goals of SEAP are to encourage participating 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.

The Short-Term Research Experience for Underrepresented Persons (STEP-UP) – National
Grades: 11-12
The High School STEP-UP provides hands-on summer research experience for high school students interested in exploring research careers in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical and social sciences. The program provides exposure to the core NIDDK mission areas of diabetes, endocrinology and metabolic diseases; digestive diseases and nutrition; and kidney, urologic and hematologic diseases.

Smith Summer Science and Engineering Program (SSEP) – National
Grades: 9-12
The Smith Summer Science and Engineering Program (SSEP) is a four-week residential program for exceptional young women with strong interests in science, engineering and medicine. Each July, select high school students from across the country and abroad come to Smith College to do hands-on research with Smith faculty in the life and physical sciences and in engineering.

Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR) – National
Grades: 11-12
This is an eight-week program in which high school students from diverse backgrounds are invited to perform basic research with Stanford faculty, postdoctoral fellows, students and researchers on a medically-oriented project. The goals of the program include increasing interest in biological sciences and medicine in high school students, helping students to understand how scientific research is performed, and increasing diversity of students and researchers in the sciences.

Stanford Medical Youth Science Program – National
Grades: 9-12
The Stanford Medical Youth Science Program works to increase knowledge about the sciences and health professions, and offer guidance about the college admissions process to low-income and/or underrepresented minority students. To meet this goal, SMYSP offers a university-based five-week Summer Residential Program and school-based academic year health disparities curriculum.

STEP Forward
Grades: 12
The STEP Forward Camp is a one-week residential engineering introduction program for rising 12th graders. The program is limited to fifty students. Participants stay on the University of Houston campus in a dormitory. UH engineering students serve as camp mentors and counselors.

Summer Engineering Experience for Kids (SEEK)
Grades: 3-12
The Summer Engineering Experience for Kids program (SEEK) is the National Society of Black Engineers’ (NSBE) premiere solution to the underrepresentation of African American students in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. The free, three week program is a STEM pipeline designed to expose African American children to STEM fields as early as the third grade and through the twelfth grade. In addition, this exposure will be provided by utilizing NSBE members, who are young, Black, collegiate students, majoring in STEM fields.

Summer Humanities Institute – Stanford – National
Grades: 11-12
Students will spend three weeks on the beautiful Stanford campus, living in residence. They will spend the first two weeks intensively studying and researching a topic in history or philosophy, attending daily lectures by the faculty members, and participating in group discussions and activities in the afternoon. During their third week, students will work closely with their professors, graduate students, and writing mentors to produce original research projects. These papers present an opportunity for students to use what they have learned at Stanford to develop their own answers to the central questions that are addressed by the humanities.

Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research (SIP) – National
Ages: 16 and over
Summer programs at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provide an opportunity to spend a summer working at the NIH side-by-side with some of the leading scientists in the world, in an environment devoted exclusively to biomedical research. Internships cover a minimum of eight weeks, with students generally arriving at the NIH in May or June. The NIH Institutes and the Office of Intramural Training & Education sponsor a wide range of summer activities including lectures featuring distinguished NIH investigators, career/professional development workshops, and Summer Poster Day.

Summer Mathematics Research Training High School Camp (SMaRT) – Texas A&M
Ages: 14-18
SMaRT is a National Science Foundation supported two-week summer program at Texas A&M University. It is intended to facilitate interest in mathematics of advanced high school students. The camp will provide an intensive learning environment in mathematics, where high school students will learn not only useful mathematical facts, but also how to approach mathematical problems, prove mathematical statements, and write the results.

 

Summer Research with the National Institute on Drug Abuse – National
Ages: 15 and over
This program is designed to provide high school and undergraduate students from underrepresented groups with meaningful research experiences and mentorship in the field of drug abuse and addiction. Each year up to 50 NIDA research investigators offer their labs and their time for eight to ten weeks to mentor up to 60 students interested in drug abuse research.

Telluride Association Sophomore Summer – National
Grades: 10
Telluride works with university faculty to create exciting courses designed to inspire young people to explore the histories, politics and cultural experiences of people of African descent and a variety of other topics.

Telluride Association Summer Program – National
Grades: 11
A Telluride Association Summer Program (TASP) is a six-week educational experience for high school juniors that offers challenges and rewards rarely encountered in secondary school or even college. Each program is designed to bring together young people from around the world who share a passion for learning. Telluride students, or TASPers, attend a seminar led by college and university scholars and participate in many other educational and social activities outside the classroom.

Texas Governor’s Schools
Grades: 9-11
The Texas Governor's School at Lamar University will focus on leadership in the humanities, language arts, mathematics, fine arts, and science. Opportunities will be provided for students to address problems and issues in advanced content with problem-based strategies. Students will be introduced to a range of topics in classes that are not for credit; however, participating students will learn how to become more motivated and persistent in activities with students of similar interests and ability. 

Texas Southern University Upward Bound
Grades: 9-12
Upward Bound, a part of the TRIO federally funded programs, helps young people prepare for higher education. This highly successful college based program includes rigorous academic instruction, tutoring, mentoring, counseling and cultural enrichment activities.

University of Houston Downtown
Grades: 9-12
Upward Bound, established in 1965 as the first of the TRIO programs, began serving low-income and first-generation college bound HISD students at the University of Houston-Downtown in 1980. This highly successful college-based program includes rigorous academic instruction, tutoring, mentoring, counseling and cultural enrichment activities.

Urban League of Houston
All ages
Education & Youth Development implements programs that embrace a “cradle-to-career” model, preparing youth to be self-sufficient adults, while supporting parental engagement throughout their educational development years. The Department provides: 1) early childhood learning applications for reading, pre-k through fourth grade; 2) academic and social development grades five through eight and, 3) college preparation and entrance grades nine through twelve. This educational support model for both children and parents is designed to expose, encourage and position the child to ultimately succeed academically at home and in a global environment.

Ventures Scholars – National
Grades: 9-College
The Ventures Scholars Program is a national nonprofit membership program designed to promote access to higher education for young adults interested in pursuing math- and science-based careers.

W.E.B. Dubois Scholars Institute – National
Grades: 10-11
The W.E.B. DuBois Scholars Institute provides leadership, scholarship, community service, and entrepreneur training along with exposure to science and technology for high-achieving youth attending secondary schools. It was founded with an aim to develop a cadre of brilliant leaders/activist scholars with a commitment to contributing their talents for the betterment of others by solving major problems facing our society.

Women's Technology Program (WTP) – MIT – National
Grades: 11
The MIT Women's Technology Program (WTP) is a rigorous four-week summer academic and residential experience where female high school students explore engineering through hands-on classes, labs, and team-based projects in the summer after 11th grade.

Wonderworks
Grades: 10-12
Wonderworks is a non-profit organization that provides Houston-area high school students with pre-college summer learning experiences in arts, literature and media. By exploring challenging subject matter and techniques in a college setting with college-level instructors, students acquire skills, information, outlooks, and connections that significantly expand their cultural and academic horizons. In the process, they also become better-qualified college applicants and better equipped to succeed in undergraduate studies.

Youth Leadership Conference on Asian and Pacific Islander Health – Stanford – National
Grades: 9-12
The Youth Leadership Conference on Asian and Pacific Islander Health is a four day conference at Stanford University. High school students from across the country are invited to attend to gain leadership skills for effecting change in local communities. Conference participants will meet other students interested in making a difference in public health. Leading medical experts, professors, and policymakers will speak on issues of Asian and Pacific Islander health. Students will also have a chance to apply the skills they gain in an outreach planning simulation.