Research programs in West Virginia.
91 local programs run in West Virginia, 53 of them free or paid, and 1 explicitly prioritize under-resourced or first-generation students. Plus 210 nationwide programs open to anyone in the US.
Local to West Virginia
- ModerateAmerican Legion Department of West VirginiaAmerican Legion Mountaineer Boys State
A week-long honors, leadership and citizenship academy where rising seniors form a mock state government at WVU Jackson's Mill, running party platforms, campaigns and elections.
📅 Varies🎓 Grade 11 - SelectiveAmerican Legion Department of West VirginiaAmerican Legion West Virginia High School Oratorical Contest
A constitutional speech contest for West Virginia high school students that runs from post and district rounds to a state final, with the state winner advancing to the national finals.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveWest Virginia School of Osteopathic MedicineClinical Anatomy Summer Experience (CASE)
A one-week program with hands-on human cadaver anatomy labs taught by WVSOM medical school instructors, including exposure to a medical school classroom and interaction with osteopathic medical students.
📅 May🎓 Grades 11–12 - Highly SelectiveMarshall University / Duke Clinical Research InstituteDuke-Marshall STAR Program
A cohort of four trainees works with Marshall University core faculty through short courses on research methods and medical writing, professional development, possible clinical shadowing and communication training.
📅 January🎓 Grades 11–12 - SelectiveFBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) DivisionFBI CJIS Teen Academy
A free one-day hands-on program at the FBI CJIS Division in Clarksburg for West Virginia high school juniors and seniors, with fingerprinting and biometrics lessons, a law enforcement round table, firearm simulators and a mock crime scene.
📅 September🎓 Grades 11–12 - ModerateWV Robotics AllianceFIRST Robotics Competition in West Virginia
High school teams build industrial-size robots to compete in an alliance field game, raise funds and promote STEM; WVRA supports WV teams with equipment and mentorship.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateWV Robotics AllianceFIRST Tech Challenge in West Virginia
Teams design, build and code robots to compete in alliance format; the WV Robotics Alliance supplies equipment, mentorship and support to teams statewide.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveWest Virginia Department of EducationGovernor's Computer Science Institute (GCSI)
A weeklong residential program with practical experience in computer science, coding and programming where students build programs and applications to solve real-world problems.
📅 April🎓 Grades 9–10 - SelectiveWest Virginia Department of Education / West Virginia UniversityGovernor's Honors Academy
A state-funded residential summer program at WVU for about 175 rising seniors that explores contemporary issues, their historical roots, and the arts and sciences.
📅 April🎓 Grade 11 - SelectiveWest Virginia Department of Education / West Virginia Wesleyan CollegeGovernor's School for the Arts
A free three-week summer arts program for West Virginia sophomores with auditioned tracks in creative writing, dance, digital art/media, instrumental music, studio art, theatre and vocal music.
📅 March🎓 Grade 10 - SelectiveWest Virginia Department of Education / West Virginia UniversityGovernor's School for Tourism
A free 10-day summer program for selected rising 9th and 10th graders that introduces West Virginia's tourism and hospitality industry through hands-on experiences and career exposure at state park lodges and landmarks.
📅 May🎓 Grades 9–10 - SelectiveWest Virginia Department of EducationGovernor's School of Entrepreneurship (GSE)
A 10-day residential program where students work on real-world problem-solving and startup challenges, learn from industry experts, and pitch ideas to investors.
📅 March🎓 Grades 9–11 - Highly SelectiveMarshall University Joan C. Edwards School of MedicineHealth Care Pathway Initiative (HCPI)
A four-week residential summer camp that introduces students to health care and STEM careers such as nursing, pharmacy, research, health informatics and biomedical engineering, with hands-on sessions, field trips, a career day and a College PREP workshop.
📅 April🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveWVU Health SciencesHealth Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA)
A mentoring program that helps West Virginia high school students enter and succeed in STEM+M degree programs; scholars attend summer campus academies and year-round clubs.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveKanawha County Public LibraryKanawha County Public Library VolunTEEN Program
Summer teen volunteers at Kanawha County Public Library branches help with special events, prepare displays and shelve materials, and can also help at the West Virginia Book Festival.
📅 April🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveWest Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (WV HEPC)LevelUpWV Dual Enrollment
A state-funded dual enrollment program that lets high school juniors and seniors take college courses in career pathways including Health Care, Information Technology, Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering and Education.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 11–12 - SelectiveMarshall University College of ScienceMarshall High School Science Day
A campus day for high school students with hands-on science demonstrations, liquid nitrogen ice cream, a portable planetarium and a look at the College's Scanning Electron Microscope.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - Highly SelectiveMarshall University Department of MusicMarshall University High School Honor Band Festival
A three-day festival where director-nominated high school band students rehearse in honor bands with a guest clinician and perform a final concert at Marshall.
📅 January🎓 Grades 9–12 - Highly SelectiveMarshall UniversityMarshall University NeuroCamp
A week-long summer camp with hands-on activities and presentations by faculty and graduate students on lab safety, neuroanatomy, addiction, stroke and behavioral models.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveRobert H. Mollohan Family Charitable FoundationMary Olive Eddy Jones Art Scholarship
A $1,000 scholarship for a West Virginia high school senior majoring in an art-related field (or a college sophomore or junior at a West Virginia institution majoring in art), paid to the student's college.
📅 May🎓 Grade 12 - ModerateWVU School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular MedicineMolecules to Medicine (M2M) Summer Camp
A residential camp covering how DNA and proteins build cells, how cells and organs work, and how scientists develop treatments, with talks from faculty, trainees and medical professionals.
📅 May🎓 Grades 11–12 - SelectiveMon Health Medical Center (Vandalia Health)Mon Health Medical Center Junior Volunteer Program
A junior volunteer program in Morgantown where students apply online, interview, and serve in areas such as the gift shop, reception desk, endoscopy and family birthing center.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 10–12 - SelectiveNational Youth Science AcademyNational Youth Science Camp
A residential STEAM program in the Monongahela National Forest with two daily lectures by STEM experts, small-group directed studies, an outdoor adventure program, an arts program and a trip to Washington, DC.
📅 Varies🎓 Grade 12 - ModerateNorman Jordan African American Arts and Heritage Academy / West Virginia State UniversityNorman Jordan African American Arts and Heritage Academy
A residential summer academy for ages 12-18 with tracks in vocal and instrumental music, theater, dance, creative writing, visual arts and arts technology, with African American history and culture activities and guest artists.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveGreen Bank Observatory / WVU / NANOGravPulsar Science Collaboratory
An out-of-school citizen science project in which, after training, members analyze radio astronomy data from the Green Bank Telescope to search for new pulsars; students aged 13 and up and teachers can join.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateGreen Bank ObservatoryRadio Astronomer for a Day (Green Bank Observatory)
Student groups work in research teams to study cosmic objects with the 40-Foot radio telescope, collecting data overnight and reviewing results with a Green Bank educator.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateAmerican Legion Auxiliary Department of West VirginiaRhododendron Girls State
A week-long citizenship program in which rising high school seniors form a mock government with party caucuses, campaigns, elections and an inauguration, hosted on the Davis & Elkins College campus.
📅 Varies🎓 Grade 11 - Highly SelectiveShepherd UniversityShepherd University NeuroData Summer Camp
A one-week summer camp where students explore the fundamentals of neuroscience and data science through hands-on, real-world applications.
📅 April🎓 Grades 8–12 - Highly SelectiveMarshall UniversitySociety of Yeager Scholars Scholarship
A four-year full scholarship covering tuition, room and board, a textbook stipend, a computer and support for study abroad or research, for entering Marshall freshmen, with a summer program at the University of Oxford.
📅 December🎓 Grade 12 - SelectiveThe EdVenture Group / West Virginia Department of EducationSparkWV Student Business Pitch Competition
A statewide business-idea competition for middle and high school students with a Big Idea (invention or tech concept) track and a Small Business track, culminating in live finals during Bridging Innovation Week.
📅 December🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveWVU Medicine Thomas HospitalsThomas Hospitals VolunTEEN Program
A hospital volunteer program for students ages 14 to 18 interested in healthcare and community service, with a regular weekly shift and orientation through Volunteer Services.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveWest Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC)Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars Program
A competitive scholarship of up to $10,000 per year ($40,000 total) for 25 current high school seniors each year who commit to teach math, science, special education or elementary education in West Virginia for five years.
📅 Varies🎓 Grade 12 - SelectiveWest Virginia Department of EducationUnited States Senate Youth Program - West Virginia
Merit-based program for student leaders who spend a week in Washington, D.C. hearing from senators, cabinet members and federal officials, with an undergraduate scholarship for delegates.
📅 October🎓 Grades 11–12 - ModerateWest Virginia Wesleyan CollegeWesleyan Summer Gifted Program
A two-week residential summer program for gifted students taught by college professors in math, physics, computer science, creative writing, history, environmental science and the creative arts.
📅 June🎓 Grades 9–12 - Highly SelectiveWest Virginia Department of EducationWest Virginia Academic Showdown
A head-to-head academic quiz competition for four-student high school teams, played in regional tournaments at universities with the top two teams per region advancing to a state finale in Charleston.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveWest Virginia Humanities CouncilWest Virginia Book Festival
A one-day statewide literary festival with panel discussions, readings, author signings and workshops at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center, open to readers of all ages.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveWest Virginia Department of Tourism / The Culture Center and State MuseumWest Virginia Congressional Art Competition
A statewide high school art competition in which students submit original two-dimensional artwork; each congressional district winner's piece hangs at the U.S. Capitol for a year.
📅 January🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateWest Virginia DECAWest Virginia DECA
WV DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs through chapters, state events and conferences for high school students in marketing, finance, hospitality and management.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateEducators Rising West VirginiaWest Virginia Educators Rising
A non-profit career technical student organization for high school students interested in teaching, with a fall leadership conference, a State Leadership Conference and competitions.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateWest Virginia Association of Conservation DistrictsWest Virginia Envirothon
A conservation education program and competition where teams of five are tested on aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife and a current environmental topic.
📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateWest Virginia Future Business Leaders of AmericaWest Virginia FBLA
Prepares students to become community-minded business leaders through career preparation and leadership experiences, with a high school State Leadership Conference of competitive events held in Huntington.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateWest Virginia Family, Career and Community Leaders of AmericaWest Virginia FCCLA
The state FCCLA site for Family and Consumer Sciences students with chapter affiliation, a fall conference, a State Leadership Conference and competitions.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateWest Virginia FFA AssociationWest Virginia FFA
A student organization for middle and high school students building leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education, with state activities, competitions, awards and an annual state convention at Cedar Lakes.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - Highly SelectiveWest Virginia HOSAWest Virginia HOSA-Future Health Professionals
A student-led organization that promotes health career opportunities and improved quality of care, with competitive events and an annual State Leadership Conference at Marshall University.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - Highly SelectiveJunior Science and Humanities Symposium, West Virginia regionWest Virginia JSHS (Junior Science and Humanities Symposium)
High school students present original STEM research at a university-held regional symposium and can compete for scholarships and recognition.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveSupreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia / West Virginia State Bar Women in the Profession CommitteeWest Virginia Law Day Contest
Statewide contest where K-12 students submit posters, essays, digital art, poems or original songs on the annual Law Day theme, with winners honored at the Supreme Court.
📅 April🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveWest Virginia Legislature (Senate and House of Delegates)West Virginia Legislature Page Program
Students in grades 6-12 serve as Pages for the Senate or House of Delegates during the regular legislative session, gaining firsthand exposure to state government.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - Highly SelectiveWVU School of Art and DesignWest Virginia Mountaineer Short Film Festival
An annual international competitive short film festival at West Virginia University with a Student Works (High School) category for films up to 15 minutes.
📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveWest Virginia University / West Virginia Department of EducationWest Virginia National History Day
The West Virginia affiliate of National History Day, coordinated through WVU, where students build exhibits, documentaries, websites, papers or performances on an annual theme; top entries advance to the national contest.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveWest Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History / WVDEWest Virginia Poetry Out Loud
Students in grades 9-12 memorize and recite poems in school and local contests leading to the state finals at the Culture Center in Charleston and the national finals in Washington, D.C.
📅 December🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveWest Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC)West Virginia PROMISE Scholarship
A merit-based state scholarship of up to $5,500 per year that West Virginia high school seniors apply for with the PROMISE application and FAFSA, based on ACT or SAT scores and eligibility rules.
📅 March🎓 Grade 12 - ModerateWest Virginia Scholastic Chess Association / West Virginia Chess AssociationWest Virginia Scholastic Chess Championships
Annual state scholastic chess tournament for K-12 students with grade-based sections including a high school (K-12) section; top finishers are nominated to national invitational events.
📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveWest Virginia Department of EducationWest Virginia Science and Engineering Fair
The state science and engineering fair, an entry point for West Virginia high school students to qualify for the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveNETL / WVU (DOE National Science Bowl regional)West Virginia Science Bowl (High School Regional)
A team quiz competition in science and math for high school students; regional winners earn the chance to represent their school at the National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C.
📅 November🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateMarshall University College of ScienceWest Virginia Science Olympiad State Tournament
The annual state Science Olympiad tournament where Division C (high school) teams compete in events from robotics and forensics to astronomy and anatomy; winning teams qualify for nationals.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateWest Virginia SkillsUSAWest Virginia SkillsUSA
Develops personal, workplace and technical skills for the future skilled workforce through chapters and an annual state leadership and skills conference with contests in manufacturing, transportation, construction, hospitality and human services.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateMorehead State University Space Science Center / TMC Technologies at WV Wesleyan CollegeWest Virginia SpaceTrek
A residential two-week space systems engineering program for young women, held at West Virginia Wesleyan College with a capacity of 24 participants.
📅 April🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateWVU Extension / WV Conservation CampWest Virginia State Conservation Camp
A weeklong camp at Camp Caesar with hands-on learning about natural resources, including classes and recreational activities.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveWest Virginia State Math Field Day OrganizationWest Virginia State Mathematics Field Day
The annual state math competition for West Virginia students in grades 4-12; the grades 10-12 events (written exam, short answer, team power question, team questions and relays) are patterned on ARML and select the WV ARML team.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 10–12 - SelectiveWest Virginia Department of EducationWest Virginia State Social Studies Fair
A school-to-county-to-regional-to-state project fair where Division III (grades 9-12) students present individual or small-group projects in categories such as Economics, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Political Science, Geography and US or World History.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateWest Virginia Technology Student AssociationWest Virginia TSA (Technology Student Association)
The West Virginia chapter of TSA offers high school and middle school competitions in technology, innovation, design and engineering, culminating in a state conference.
📅 January🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveWVU Department of EnglishWest Virginia Writers' Workshop
A summer writing workshop at WVU with craft talks, writing exercises and readings in fiction, poetry and nonfiction that welcomes high school writers.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - Highly SelectiveCentral West Virginia Writing Project at Marshall University / WV Department of EducationWest Virginia Young Writers Contest and Young Writers Day
A statewide prose-writing contest (fiction, nonfiction, narrative, memoir or essay) judged at school, county and state levels, with state winners honored at Young Writers Day at the University of Charleston.
📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveWest Virginia Department of Environmental ProtectionWest Virginia Youth Environmental Program (YEP)
A DEP program that enrolls school and community youth groups in litter cleanups, recycling drives and tree plantings, with awards, a college scholarship and an annual Youth Environmental Day and conference for members.
📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateYouth Leadership Association (YLA)West Virginia Youth in Government
A three-day program in which grade 9-12 students work in the actual House or Senate chambers at the State Capitol to craft and debate legislation in a mock legislative session.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - Highly SelectiveYouth Leadership Association (YLA)West Virginia Youth Leadership Association Model United Nations
A statewide Model UN conference open to students from all schools and communities across West Virginia, held at the University of Charleston.
📅 January🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveWheeling Symphony SocietyWheeling Symphony Rachael Worby Scholarship
A $1,000 annual scholarship for one graduating high school senior in the Upper Ohio Valley who plans to study music in college, selected by recorded performance, essay, recommendations and a finalist audition.
📅 March🎓 Grade 12 - SelectiveEducation AllianceWV Ready Summer Internships
A four-week paid summer internship in which West Virginia businesses give rising high school juniors and seniors hands-on work, with the Education Alliance handling recruitment, onboarding, payroll and coordination.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 11–12 - SelectiveWest Virginia Department of TransportationWVDOT Bridge Design & Build Contest
A free statewide engineering contest where students in grades 6-12 design the lowest-cost bridge in software, with the top designs invited to build and test a balsa wood bridge at the finals.
📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateWest Virginia Music Educators AssociationWVMEA Solo and Ensemble Festivals
Regional solo and ensemble music festivals held at nine sites across West Virginia where students perform for adjudicators, with a state honors recital for top entries.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveWV Robotics Alliance / WVSSACWVSSAC Robotics (West Virginia High School Robotics)
A co-curricular high school robotics activity recognized by the WVSSAC in which teams play a modified RECF Achieve game, ending in a state championship coordinated by the WV Robotics Alliance.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveWest Virginia State University 4-HWVSU 4-H Mind Marvel Neuroscience Camp
A free day camp on the WVSU campus covering brain anatomy and related neuroscience topics.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–10 - SelectiveWest Virginia State University 4-HWVSU 4-H Yellow Jacket CyberDefender Camp
A free day camp on the WVSU campus introducing cybersecurity basics including digital security, threat identification, authentication tools, cryptography, social engineering and networking.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–10 - ModerateWVU Department of NeuroscienceWVU Brain Camp
A co-ed week on WVU's Morgantown campus with presentations and hands-on activities led by faculty and graduate students on neuroanatomy, addiction, stroke, behavior models and motion capture.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 11–12 - ModerateWVU Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral ResourcesWVU Engineering Challenge Camps (High School)
Weekly day camps in which high school students design and build projects in the Lane Innovation Hub and attend faculty-led engineering workshops.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateWVU Extension 4-HWVU Extension 4-H Code Camp
A weekend residential coding camp at WVU Jackson's Mill with hands-on workshops in drones, robots, game development, Arduino and more for all skill levels.
📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateWVU Next Generation Forensic Science InitiativeWVU Forensic Science Summer Camp
A week-long camp covering latent fingerprints, death investigation, forensic biology, forensic chemistry, crime scene investigation, court testimony and mock crime scenes at the Crime Scene Training Complex.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 11–12 - SelectiveWest Virginia UniversityWVU Health Sciences Summer Camp
Free health-sciences exposure for West Virginia students from rural communities.
⏱ 1 week (summer)📅 April🎓 Grades 11–12 - ModerateWest Virginia UniversityWVU High School ACCESS Early College Program
Lets high school and home-schooled sophomores, juniors and seniors take WVU on-campus, online and dual-enrollment college courses, usually in STEM disciplines, for reduced tuition.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 10–12 - ModerateWVU College of Creative Arts and Media (Reed School of Media and Communications)WVU Media Camp
A residential camp for high school sophomores, juniors and seniors with workshops in writing, photography, video, broadcasting and social media strategy plus tours of journalism, advertising/PR and sports media programs.
📅 May🎓 Grades 10–12 - SelectiveWVU Medicine Berkeley Medical CenterWVU Medicine Berkeley Medical Center Junior Volunteer Program
A summer volunteer program for high school students ages 14 to 18 at the Martinsburg hospital, with an online application, interview and mandatory orientation.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveWVU Hospitals Volunteer Services (Ruby Memorial Hospital)WVU Medicine Health Careers Academy and Junior Volunteer Program
High school students can apply to volunteer at WVU's Ruby Memorial Hospital through the Junior Volunteer Program, or to the one-week Health Careers Academy with hands-on exposure to healthcare professions.
📅 January🎓 Grades 10–12 - SelectiveWVU MedicineWVU Medicine MedEd Program
Juniors and seniors choose an ambulatory care assistant or sterile processing technician path, take two courses, and complete a paid internship at WVU Medicine in the second semester of senior year.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 11–12 - SelectiveWVU Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral ResourcesWVU Mining Engineering Experience
A three-day camp exploring the essential minerals that power our lives and mining engineering, held at WVU's Evansdale Campus.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 10–12 - ModerateWVU School of MusicWVU Summer Brass Academy
A week of instrument-specific warm-ups, masterclasses, topic workshops and brass chamber ensembles for students completing grades 8-12.
📅 May🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateWVU School of MusicWVU Summer Percussion Academy
A comprehensive musical experience for high school percussion students ages 14-18 with masterclasses, ensembles and private instruction at WVU.
📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateWVU Institute of TechnologyWVU Tech Camp STEM
A week-long overnight camp on the WVU Tech campus with STEM classes, experiments, field trips and career exploration led by faculty and upper-class counselors.
📅 May🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateWVU School of Theatre and DanceWVU Teen Acting Academy
A summer academy for teens ages 13-17 offering professional training in acting and all areas of performance at WVU.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 8–12 - ModerateWVU School of Art and DesignWVU Visual Arts Summer Academy (Residential Camp)
A residential summer camp for grades 8-12 where students choose studio workshops such as painting, drawing, printmaking, digital art, photography, ceramics and fashion, taught by WVU faculty.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateOhio-West Virginia Youth Leadership Association (YLA)YLA Fall Conference at Camp Horseshoe
A weekend leadership conference with workshops on bill writing, legislative and judicial simulations for Youth in Government, chapter building and fundraising, plus a service project and social events.
📅 October🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateOhio-West Virginia Youth Leadership Association (YLA)YLA Teen Leadership Summit at Camp Horseshoe
A week-long residential leadership summit at Camp Horseshoe in Tucker County for rising 9th through 12th graders, with leadership training and outdoor activities.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Nationwide programs open to West Virginia students
- Highly SelectiveUniversity of PennsylvaniaAcademic English & University Readiness Academy
Two-week residential academy at Penn for non-native English speakers. Students do university-style work: reading, lectures, discussions, research and group projects, ending in a final presentation. Current 9th-11th graders; non-credit.
⏱ 2 weeks (July 26 - August 8, 2026)🎓 Grades 9–11 - SelectiveArmy Educational Outreach Program (AEOP)AEOP High School Apprenticeship Program
Students work alongside Army scientists and engineers on cutting-edge research projects in world-class laboratories.
⏱ 8 weeks📅 Early March🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveAmerican Foreign Service Association (AFSA)AFSA National High School Essay Contest
An essay contest designed to engage students in thinking about peace and conflict resolution.
📅 February 15🎓 Grades 11–12 - SelectiveCarnegie Mellon UniversityAI Scholars at CMU
Free AI-focused summer program for rising seniors underrepresented in computing.
⏱ 4 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grade 11 - SelectiveAI4ALLAI4ALL Open Learning
Girls in grades 6-12 learn AI and Python through interactive virtual classes.
⏱ 2 weeks📅 March 1🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveMathematical Association of AmericaAIME
Invitational round for top AMC scorers. 15-question, 3-hour exam that gates the USAMO. No fee for invited students.
⏱ 3 hours📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveFreedom ForumAl Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference
An all-expenses-paid journalism conference for one student from every US state and DC.
⏱ 1 week📅 February 15🎓 Grade 11 - SelectiveAmazonAmazon Future Engineer Scholarship
Scholarship for high school seniors planning to study computer science in college.
⏱ 4 years scholarship📅 December 1🎓 Grade 12 - ModerateMathematical Association of AmericaAMC 10/12
The entry-level American Mathematics Competition. Top scorers qualify for AIME and the path to the USAMO. Open to all US high schoolers; school registration required.
⏱ 75 minutes📅 November🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateACSLAmerican Computer Science League (ACSL)
A multi-division computer science competition covering both theory and programming.
⏱ School year📅 November 30🎓 Grades 9–12 - Highly SelectiveUniversity of PennsylvaniaAmerican Sign Language and Deaf Culture Online Seminar
Two-week online seminar (daily Zoom sessions) teaching basic ASL conversation and narrative skills in an immersion setting, plus Deaf community perspectives through vlogs, lectures and a panel of Deaf professionals. Current 9th-11th graders; non-credit.
⏱ 2 weeks (July 13 - 24, 2026)🎓 Grades 9–11 - SelectiveAmgen FoundationAmgen Scholars Future Track
Free online biotech simulations and pipeline programs preparing high schoolers for biomedical research.
⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveApple Inc.Apple Swift Student Challenge
Swift coding competition hosted by Apple to showcase creativity and app development skills.
⏱ 1 month📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateBerklee College of MusicAspire: Five-Week Music Performance Intensive
The world's premier summer performance program for contemporary music, including jazz, rock, and pop.
⏱ 5 weeks📅 March 1🎓 Grades 10–12 - ModerateUniversity of PennsylvaniaAstronomical Techniques Research Academy
Two-week residential academy at Penn. Students learn observational astronomy and data analysis, build simple cameras and spectrometers, observe the Sun and stars, and analyze data with Python. Current 9th-11th graders; non-credit.
⏱ 2 weeks (July 11 - 25, 2026)🎓 Grades 9–11 - SelectiveNCWITAward for Aspirations in Computing (AiC)
Award for girls and non-binary students in computing, providing recognition and a cash prize.
⏱ One-time📅 April 15🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateBard College at Simon's RockBard College at Simon's Rock Young Writers Workshop
A 3-week residential program where students engage in creative and analytical thinking through literature and history.
⏱ 3 weeks📅 April 1🎓 Grades 10–12 - SelectiveMIT Lincoln LabBeaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI)
Free MIT-led project-based courses in AI, robotics, cybersecurity.
⏱ 4 weeks (summer)📅 Early February🎓 Grade 11 - SelectiveELASH / Bebras USBebras Computing Challenge (US)
An international computational thinking and informatics competition. Students can take the test remotely or through a local school coordinator.
⏱ 45 minutes📅 Early February🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveBennington CollegeBennington Young Writers Awards
A prestigious creative writing competition for students to win cash prizes and publication.
📅 January 12🎓 Grades 9–12
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