Smithsonian Youth Engagement

What this program actually is

Smithsonian Youth Engagement is an internship run by Smithsonian Institution. It's built for 9th–12th grade students who want to combine remote and in-person work with Smithsonian Institution on History, Humanities, Visual Arts.

The program runs for varies, based out of Washington, DC. Participants receive a stipend, so cost isn't the main barrier — travel, housing, and other logistics may still be on you unless the program says otherwise.

Who it's for

Programs like this get the strongest applications from students who can point to a specific reason they want this one — not just "any research program" or "any internship."

• Students in 9th–12th grade — check the official page for exact grade cutoffs before applying.
• Priority or eligibility for students in: DC. Some programs still take out-of-state applicants; read the fine print.
• This program explicitly prioritizes under-resourced students, first-generation applicants, or students from historically underrepresented backgrounds in the field.
• Strongest fit for students already curious about: History, Humanities, Visual Arts. You don't need prior formal experience — curiosity beats credentials.

Typical day-to-day in programs like this

The following describes what participants generally do in internships of this shape — not a confirmed schedule for Smithsonian Youth Engagement. Always check the official program page for the actual activities.

• Sit alongside working professionals and contribute to real, shipping work — not busywork.
• Learn how a team actually operates: meetings, code reviews, design critiques, or client calls.
• Leave with concrete portfolio pieces, references, and a clearer sense of whether this field is for you.

How to apply well

Selection is competitive but not unrealistic. A thoughtful application usually beats a decorated one.

• This program lists rolling admissions rather than a single deadline — but "rolling" usually means spots or funding fill over time, so applying earlier is still an advantage. Don't wait for a deadline that may never come.
• Read the official page twice before writing anything. Note the exact prompts and word counts.
• Answer the actual question. Reviewers read hundreds of essays; specificity beats polish.
• If recommendations are required, ask at least 3 weeks out. Give your recommender a one-page brag sheet with what you're applying for and specific things you'd love them to mention.

Cost, funding & logistics

Cost and logistics kill more applications than eligibility does. Sort these out before you get emotionally invested.

• Format: Hybrid — some remote, some in-person components.
• Duration: Varies.
• Participants receive a stipend, so cost isn't the main barrier — travel, housing, and other logistics may still be on you unless the program says otherwise.
• If travel or housing is required and cost is a concern, email the program directly and ask what aid is available. Programs rarely publish everything they can offer.

After the program

The most valuable thing you leave Smithsonian Youth Engagement with is usually not the credential — it's the two or three people you met and the one concrete thing you made. Keep in touch with your mentors and peers; they're the beginning of a professional network in History, Humanities, Visual Arts.

Add the program to your resume, but also write down (for yourself) what specifically you learned, what you'd do differently, and what question you now want to answer next. That reflection is what turns a summer into a direction.