Opportunity Guide I Summer, Enrichment & Activities Guide

For a child interested in discovering more about the STEM subject areas - science, technology, engineering and math - there are numerous school-based, out-of-school and summer enrichment programs where she can build skills and have fun. From joining a math circle to competing in math competitions, there are many math-based extracurricular activities to discover and enjoy. If your child is tech-minded and loves figuring out how things work, look for engineering, robotics, and computer classes to engage her imagination. If her interest is in the laboratory sciences, there are many unique, hands-on after school science programs themed around particular areas of science that often include hands-on lab experiences. A child who is passionate about and excels in any of the STEM subject areas will find increasingly rigorous and selective opportunities available to her.

If your child is fascinated by subjects like philosophy, literature, religion, art, music, history and language, there are a multitude of online, school-based, and extramural programs and classes available. These activities provide fantastic opportunities for in-depth study and contest opportunities. If your community lacks resources in the Humanities, consider having her create a club or team to share ideas, work on projects and participate in competitions with like-minded individuals. Sometimes a club can affiliate with a national organization that encourages the study of a specific humanities subject (e.g., the National History Club). A club can also bring together children with a common interest to study for competitions (e.g., U.S. Geography Olympiad team; North American Computational Linguistics Olympiad) or for group discussions (e.g., a book club or a language club). Founding a club also provides an opportunity for a child to gain and demonstrate important leadership skills.

Outside of school, selective academic summer camps offer many interesting and high level humanity-related courses. Other options for your child to look into include: summer immersion programs (language); expedition programs (anthropology; archeology), lab opportunities (archeology), museum and gallery internships (art history). For a child who likes contests, there are national exams and contests, some of which may be offered by your child’s school (e.g., The National French Contest; the National Latin Exam; the National Mythology Exam). If getting published sounds like a worthwhile goal to your child, encourage her to explore journalism and media programs.