• There are a great many opportunities to explore the scientific world throughout your years in high school, and this page is here to help you with that. On the left you'll see a drop down menu containing a list of various opportunities. A short synopsis of each is given below. 

     

    VASTS

    For: Juniors and Seniors

    Application Due: October

    Program Type: School-Year and Summer

    Location: Online, Norfolk VA 

    The Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars (VASTS) program is an interactive on-line science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning experience, highlighted by a seven-day residential summer academy at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va.

    Students selected to participate in the program are immersed in NASA-related research through interaction with scientists, engineers and technologists. The program is a partnership between the Virginia Space Grant Consortium, NASA Langley Research Center, The Commonwealth of Virginia and Industry.

    VESSS

    For: Juniors and Seniors

    Application Due: October

    Program Type: School-Year and Summer

    Location: Online, Norfolk VA 

    The Virginia Earth System Science Scholars (VESSS) program is an interactive online science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning experience for Virginia high school juniors and seniors, which engages students in NASA’s latest challenge: satellite missions designed to improve understanding of our own planet’s complex systems through the power of remote sensing.

    Successful completion of the course is highlighted by a seven-day residential summer academy at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Using data from the latest cut-edge technology, students selected to participate in the program are immersed in NASA-related research and satellite mission design through interaction with NASA scientists, engineers, and technologists. Students can earn up to FIVE free transferable, dual-enrolled college credits through Thomas Nelson Community College.

    VSCS

    For: Sophomores

    Application Due: October

    Program Type: School-Year and Summer

    Location: Online, Norfolk VA 

    Virginia Space Coast Scholars (VSCS) is a program for High School Sophomores focusing on the science, engineering, and technology integral to current missions at NASA Wallops Flight Facility and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport.This dynamic (and FREE) program, designed by the Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC), inspires students who possess technical and/or scientific interests and are motivated to learn about the many different opportunities that NASA offers.

    The program features two key elements. The first is a dynamic on-line science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning experience featuring five modules. Upon completion of the online program, top performing scholars may be invited to attend a seven-day residential Summer Academy at NASA Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, VA, where scholars will learn first hand from NASA professionals and their partners about the latest, cutting edge technologies and missions.The VSCS program is a partnership between the Virginia Space Grant Consortium, NASA Wallops Flight Facility, and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

    BLAST

    For: Freshman

    Application Due: February

    Program Type: Summer

    Location: Online, Norfolk VA 

    Building Leaders for Advancing Science and Technology offers an exciting way for rising 9th and 10th grade students to spend three days of summer! Participating students get to stay in a college dorm and see what campus life is like on-site at one of our three partner universities: Old Dominion University, Virginia Tech, or the University of Virginia. Each day of BLAST is jam-packed with science, technology, engineering, and math-related (STEM) activities and demonstrations led by faculty of the university.

    Students come away from BLAST with a greater sense of curiosity, deeper insight about the variety of careers that exist in STEM, and enhanced readiness for advanced STEM programs. The BLAST program is a partnership between the Virginia Space Grant Consortium, Old Dominion University, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

    SEES

    For: Sophomores and Juniors

    Application Due: February

    Program Type: Summer

    Location: Austin TX 

    NASA, Texas Space Grant Consortium, and The University of Texas at Austin Center for Space Research Summer Intern Program is a nationally competitive STEM program for high school students. The program provides selected students with exposure to Earth and space research. Interns will learn how to interpret NASA satellite data while working with scientists and engineers in their chosen area of work. 

    We are offering summer internships to motivated high school students who have an interest in pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics careers. The interns will work beside NASA subject matter experts analyzing and visualizing data. This content knowledge, coupled with hands-on experiences, allows the intern to gain experience in authentic NASA research through field investigation and data analysis. 

    Janelia

    For: Juniors and Seniors

    Application Due: Not happening in 2021

    Program Type: Summer

    Location: Loudoun VA 

    The Janelia-Loudoun County Resident Summer Internship Program will offer high school students that attend the Loudoun County Public Schools or are residents of Loudoun County, and who are 16 years or older at the time of the internship, the opportunity to spend 8 weeks at HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus, performing research using state-of-the-art technology and methods to answer questions in biology and computational science under the guidance of group leaders, scientists, and engineers. Selected students will have the opportunity to attend seminars by Janelia researchers, as well as to participate in journal clubs and other events.

    ASSIP

    For: Juniors and Seniors (Freshmen and Sophomores may apply for Short Courses)

    Application Due: January

    Program Type: Summer

    Location: Fairfax VA 

    Students work one-on-one with faculty researchers at George Mason University and collaborating institutions using state-of-the-art technology to solve hypothesis driven questions in Biochemistry, Biodefense, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Earth Science, Climate and Ocean Sciences, Environmental Science, Genomics, GeoInformation Science (GIS), Mathematical Modeling, Medicine, Nanotechnology, Neuroscience, Serious Game Design, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Data Sciences, Astronomy, Physics, and Proteomics. ASSIP interns must be 16 years old or older as of June 21st, 2021.

    Students who will not be 16 are invited to apply to ASSIP research-related summer short courses. 

    Girls in Technology

    For: Freshmen, Sophomore, Junior and Senior girls

    Application Due: Ongoing

    Program Type: Various

    Location: Various, DC Metro Area 

    Girls in Technology (GIT) is led by an all-volunteer committee of Women in Technology (WIT) members who are dedicated to initiating programs designed to excite, inspire, create awareness and educate girls in grades 6 through 12 about the vast array of career opportunities in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). GIT programs reach over 500 girls in the DC metropolitan area. Our programs help girls identify pathways to careers in STEM through engagement with professional women in STEM-related fields and STEM experiences provided by companies in the District, Maryland, and Northern Virginia.

    Girls in Technology Mentor Protégé Program
    Girls in grades 9 –12 are selected from applicants around the metropolitan D.C. area to attend monthly sessions designed to support networking, personal and career development and one-on-one mentoring with female professionals.

    Girls in Technology Sharing Our Success (SOS) Program
    One-day evening workshops (for girls in grades 6 –12) includes networking games, hands-on demonstrations, door prizes and women speakers who discuss experiences of combining their love of STEM with passions such as art, geography, science, education, and security.

    Girls in Technology Cyber Patriot Teams
    In partnership with the University of Maryland, GIT sponsors CyberPatriot Girls, a program to support middle and high school girls’ involvement in the Air Force Association’s CyberPatriot program (www.uscyberpatriot.org). CyberPatriot is the premiere national high school cyber defense competition and was created to inspire high school students toward careers in STEM disciplines critical to our nation’s future.

    Girls in Technology Scholarship Program
    Thanks to the generous funding received from STEM for Her (SFH), GIT’s Scholarship Program provides STEM education scholarships to metropolitan D.C. area girls in grades 9 to 12 who participated in GIT’s programs during the current school year. STEM Education Camp Scholarships and Higher Education Scholarships help enrich students’ lives and encourage STEM careers by reducing the financial barriers to participate in STEM-related extracurricular activities or higher education for careers in STEM fields.

    CyberStart America & the National Cyber Scholarship Competition

    For: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors

    Application Due: March, but if done by January 31 there is an exclusive training session opportunity

    Program Type: School-Year

    Location: Online

    CyberStart America is a free national program for high school students to master cybersecurity as a gateway to the industry, up their digital skills, and compete for college scholarships! Discover how exciting and meaningful work in cybersecurity and computer science can be with our addictive and fun game. Have a go at real-world cyber attacks, learning how cybersecurity experts play a vital role in protecting our hospitals, banks, army, and police services! Do you like gaming or puzzles? Do you excel at games like Fortnite, or enjoy RPGs like Among Us or D&D? Do you crave creativity through games like Minecraft, or love the idea of coding your own Roblox games in a programming language? CyberStart America could be just the at-home problem-solving challenge you’re seeking.

    If you’ve never thought of yourself as a pro gamer, but you enjoy games like chess, Tetris or Mahjong, love puzzle games like sudoku or crosswords, or even have a secret talent for solving a Rubix cube, then give this free educational game a try. Your brain probably works in just the right way to learn ethical hacking, excel at Python programming and pick up the basics of cybersecurity with no coding lessons needed! No textbooks in sight, just a fun, free, online learning game. It’s a mind sport, a spy game, an escape room, a series of online puzzles and a coding challenge, all rolled into one. Find game hacks, become a cyber detective and quickly develop basic knowledge of cybersecurity. 

    SEAP

    For: Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors (16+ yrs)

    Application Due: November 30

    Program Type: Summer

    Location: Various

    SEAP provides an opportunity for high school students to participate in research at a Department of Navy (DoN) laboratory during the summer.

    The goals of SEAP are to encourage participating high school 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.

    SEAP is providing competitive research internships to 300 high school students this year. Participating students spend eight weeks during the summer doing research at 35 DoN laboratories.

    Explainers Program

    For: Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors (16+ yrs)

    Application Due: Ongoing

    Program Type: School-Year and Summer

    Location: Washington DC, Chantilly VA 

    Explainers at the National Air and Space Museum inspire life-long learners by connecting them to our iconic artifacts and to stories about the science and technology that make innovation possible. The Explainers Program hires high school and college students to help visitors better understand the Museum’s artifacts and exhibitions through hands-on programming. Explainers work at either the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC or at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. Send questions to: NASM-ExplainersProgram@si.edu.

    Natural History Investigations

    For: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors

    Application Due: Various

    Program Type: School-Year

    Location: Washington DC 

    Join us for an after-school program series that allows you to explore the world of natural history science in a fun and interactive way!

    What Will I Do?

    • Meet and learn from museum scientists and educators
    • Gain natural history science and technology skills
    • Visit exclusive behind-the-scenes areas of the museum
    • Meet other science-minded teens from across the D.C. metropolitan area

    Questions? Contact us at YouthNMNH@si.edu (link sends e-mail) or 202-633-4588

    YES! Teen Internship Program

    For: Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors

    Application Due: Not happening in 2021

    Program Type: School-Year and Summer (June - November)

    Location: Washington DC 

    The Youth Engagement through Science (YES!) internship is a career immersion and science communication program for youth between the ages of 14-19, who are currently enrolled in high school (grades 9-11) in the Washington D.C. region. The YES! program, which runs from June-November, gives interns practical experience through a hands-on science internship with Smithsonian science staff. By participating in the program, teens will also have access to behind-the-scenes tours and field trips, creative studio workshops, college preparatory classes, and the opportunity to create their own TED-type talks.

    StellarXplorers National Space Design Competition

    For: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors

    Application Due: October 14 2021

    Program Type: School-Year

    Location: Houstoun, Tx 

    Rock Ridge High School students are invited to participate in 2021-2022 StellarXplorers National Space Design Competition with an opportunity to win an all-expenses paid trip to Space Center Houston in April 2022. The Top 3 teams win educational cash awards. Our eighth season starts October 14, 2021, recommend forming your team/s no later than October 1st.

    StellarXplorers involves orbital planning, satellite design, launch operations and all aspects of system development. High school teams consist of an adult Team Director (usually a science, technology, engineering, or math teacher) and teams of two to six students meeting once a week during class and/or afterschool club.

    Thousands of high schoolers have participated over the last 7 years across the country. We have not yet had a participating team from your Rock Ridge High School's school district. We need to emphasize that YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A SPACE EXPERT to have a team. Please visit our Getting Started and Registration pages for an overview.

    Regeneron Science Talent Search Competition

    For: Seniors

    Application Due: November 10 2021

    Program Type: School-Year

    Location: Online, Washington D.C.

    • The Regeneron Science Talent Search 2022 application is now open! High school seniors with individual, original research projects are invited to apply online to the Regeneron STS. There are no limits to the number of students who can enter from any school, region or state, and students may submit research from any year of high school. The program is completely free.
    • The top 300 scholars receive $2,000 each, and their schools also receive $2,000—that’s funding for STEM education in your community. Forty finalists will be invited to compete in the finals week competition. Every finalist receives at least $25,000 and if named in the top 10, could win between $40,000 and $250,000.
    • The application will close on Wednesday, November 10, 2021 at 8pm ET, so we encourage interested students to open applications soon in order to receive tips and reminders.

    We hope to see eligible students from your area apply to the 81st Regeneron Science Talent Search. Please email sts@societyforscience.org with any questions you may have about the application process. Thank you for your interest and support in encouraging the next generation of STEM leaders.