Special Edition: Summer 2025 Opportunities

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We’re excited to bring you a special edition of The Inkling featuring a round-up of student opportunities that are still open for this summer in journalism, media, advocacy, and civic engagement.

The opportunities are categorized by eligibility—whether they're open to high school students, college students, or both—and listed in chronological order based on application deadlines.

Note: we're sharing these opportunities to help you explore what’s out there, this is not an endorsement of the organizations.

Open to High School & College Students

City Limits: CLARIFY Summer Youth Program
Deadline to apply: Wednesday, April 30
City Limits Accountability Reporting Initiative for Youth program is a six-week, paid summer internship in public service journalism. Gain skills in research, journalism writing, public speaking, teamwork, and meeting deadlines. Open to NYC public high school 10th-12th graders and college freshmen.

Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center: Summer Internship
Deadline to apply: Wednesday, April 30
The Dr. Beverly J. Robinson Community Folk Culture Program is recruiting for a five-week, paid summer internship in research, media, and public speaking. Interns will learn how to interview, videotape, and present folk artists from the community, create blogs, photos, videos, and a portfolio of their work. Open to youth ages 14-21.

Youth Communication: Summer Writing Workshop
Deadline to apply: Friday, May 9
For six weeks, students work on a memoir-style or reported story alongside professional editors and participate in writing lessons, discussions, field trips and group activities. Participants will publish at least one story and will receive a stipend for successfully completing the workshop. Open to local youth ages 15 to 20.

DCTV Youth Media: Summer Media Intensive
Deadline to apply: Saturday, May 3
A four-week, hands-on learning experience in filmmaking. Students build skills in pitching, camera operation, interviewing, editing, and media literacy from pre-production to post-production. The culminating screening features documentary, narrative, animation, and experimental films. Open to NYC high school and college students ages 14-21.

Bill of Rights Institute: MyImpact Challenge
Submission deadline: Monday, May 19
MyImpact Challenge is a civic engagement contest highlighting students actively engaged in service, volunteerism, or entrepreneurship in their communities. Submission is open to students ages 13-19. Winners are awarded cash prizes.

Open to only High School Students

National Museum of the American Latino: Young Ambassadors Program
Deadline to apply: Friday, April 18
YAP is a national program aimed at fostering the next generation of community-conscious leaders in the arts, sciences, and humanities via the Smithsonian Institution and its resources. Selected students participate in a week-long pre-professional seminar with peers from all over the nation in Washington, D.C. and complete a four-week community practicum at a cultural center in one of 19 cities (including a location in NYC). Open to graduating high school seniors.

Press Pass NYC: Student Editor Bootcamp
Deadline to apply: Friday, April 25
From August 4-8, students will work together to brainstorm ways to enhance their school newspapers and attend trips to a variety of news organizations. Open to NYC public school students in 9th-11th grade working on school newspapers.

PBS Newshour Student Reporting Lab: Summer Academy
Deadline to apply: Sunday, April 27
From June 22-28, report stories with high school student journalists from across the country. This free, all-expenses-paid week of journalism training and hands-on reporting experience will be held just outside of Washington D.C. at George Mason University. Open to current high school students.

New York Historical: Tech Scholars- Podcasting
Deadline to apply: Monday, May 19
Collaborate with other teens to create a season of the New York Historical teen podcast, Through Fresh Eyes. Students will hone skills in history, storytelling, and technology as you research a topic; interview an expert; and write, record, and edit their own podcast episode. This free, weeklong program is offered in July and August. Open to rising 9th-12th graders who live in and attend school in the NYC metro area.

SPJ Summer 2025 Northeast High School Journalism Institute
Deadline to apply: Sunday, June 1
From July 31-August 3, the Society of Professional Journalists chapter leaders in the Northeast is hosting a high school weekend journalism workshop at Suffolk College in Boston. The cost is $275 per student, which includes housing and meals. Students may be eligible for tuition waivers and free housing, meals, and transportation assistance.

Foundation for Systemic Change: Fred Ross Systemic Change Journalism Competition
Submission deadline: June 2025
This competition empowers young journalists to report on tangible, systemic strategies addressing pressing challenges like climate change, polarization, violence, LGBTQ+ rights, and the defense of democracy. Submissions are accepted in a variety of formats including print, broadcast, or mixed media. Open to high school students.

Youth Voices for Change: Leadership Board
Deadline to apply: Rolling
Young Voices for Change is an online publication and activist group created by youth and for youth. They are seeking 9th-11th graders with a passion for storytelling, advocacy, and youth-led initiatives to take on a leadership role.

Open to only College Students

Fair Elections Center: Student Advisory Board
Deadline to apply: Friday, April 18
The Student Advisory Board position is a paid position for civic-minded student leaders who want to be a part of nonpartisan national democratic engagement and voting rights movements.

Democracy House: Young Leaders Summer Institute
Deadline to apply: Sunday, May 4
YLSI is a civic education program designed to prepare rising generations to defend, strengthen and improve democracy. It is structured to be completed alongside existing summer plans such as jobs, internships, or research. Open to applicants between ages 18-23.

New York Post: Summer Internships
Deadline to apply: Rolling
This immersive 10-week paid summer internship program includes practical on-the-job training, a series of Masterclass workshops, and opportunities to be published. Undergraduate juniors and seniors are prioritized but applications are accepted from all backgrounds and experiences.

Honorable Mentions

The New York Public Library hosts free teen programming year-round, from tech workshops to arts and crafts, book discussions, and TeenLIVE author talks.

The Met Museum hosts free teen programming year-round, such as Saturday Sketching and Teen Fridays.

The Brooklyn Museum hosts Teen Nights on select Fridays throughout the year.

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