Extracurriculars & Programs in Washington, DC for High School Students

Washington, DC offers what no other city can: congressional internships, NIH and Smithsonian research placements, and policy institutes at Georgetown and GW.

58 verified programs match this page; 23 of the featured listings are completely free; 3 can be done online.

Featured programs

Browse 30+ curated programs for high school students:

• National Japan Bowl — Japan-America Society of Washington DC: Compete in the National Japan Bowl to showcase your Japanese language and cultural knowledge. Build key skills, earn scholarships, and enhance your co
• White House Internship Program — The White House: Gain hands-on leadership experience with this prestigious White House internship. Perfect for building government skills and boosting college applicat
• United States Senate Youth Program — Hearst Foundations: Explore leadership and civic skills in this prestigious high school program. Includes a week in Washington, D.C. and a $10,000 scholarship to boost co
• U.S. Presidential Scholars Program — U.S. Department of Education: Earn national recognition as a U.S. Presidential Scholar, the highest honor for top high school seniors. Boost college applications and showcase leade
• National Student Poets Program — Institute of Museum and Library Services: Prestigious poetry competition for 10th-11th graders. Become a literary ambassador, gain recognition, and build creative writing skills for college an
• Mathematical Olympiad Program — MAA: Intensive math competition program for elite high school students. Enhance problem-solving skills, boost college applications, and train with top USAM
• Student Press Law Center Free Press Advocacy — Student Press Law Center: Student advocacy for First Amendment rights and press freedom. Training and legal support for student journalists. Shows commitment to constitutional
• Close Up Washington DC Program — Close Up Foundation: Week-long government studies program in Washington DC.
• Princeton Model Congress — Princeton Model Congress: Four-day simulation where students draft and debate legislation in committee.
• U.S. Senate Youth Program (USSYP) — The Hearst Foundations: Fully funded, weeklong Washington Week for two students per state plus a $10,000 scholarship.
• FEMA Youth Preparedness Council — FEMA: National council advising FEMA on youth preparedness.
• Academic WorldQuest National Competition — World Affairs Councils of America: Flagship quiz-bowl on global affairs for high school teams with national finals in Washington, DC.
• NAIMUN (North American Invitational Model United Nations) — Georgetown International Relations Association: One of the nation's oldest and most prestigious high school MUN conferences.
• U.S. Presidential Scholars Program in the Arts — U.S. Department of Education: Highest honor bestowed upon American arts students by the U.S. President. 20 students selected annually via YoungArts for national recognition ceremon
• Future City Competition — DiscoverE: Design city of the future. Teams create models, essays, and presentations for national finals in DC.
• American University Washington Semester for High School — American University: DC-based government and policy summer program at American University. Internships and coursework in the nation's capital.
• Broadcom MASTERS National Finalist — Society for Science: Top STEM competition for middle schoolers. 30 finalists compete in DC.
• Yale Model Congress (YMC) — Yale Model Congress: Join a selective government competition in Washington, DC, fostering debate, leadership, and policy-making skills. Perfect for college applications an
• State Department Student Programs — U.S. Department of State: Explore leadership and government through free State Department internships and exchange programs. Gain hands-on diplomacy experience to boost college
• National Invention Convention and Entrepreneurship Expo — USPTO: Showcase your invention at a national competition for grades 4-12! Gain hands-on STEM experience, boost creativity, and stand out on college applicati
• Model Arab League — NCUSAR: Simulate real-world diplomacy in the Model Arab League competition. Develop debate, negotiation, and leadership skills to boost college applications a
• Washington Workshops Seminars — Washington Workshops Foundation: Explore Washington Workshops Seminars, an in-person leadership program in DC for grades 10-12. Build skills in government, diplomacy, and law—perfect
• Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference — Freedom Forum: Join a free, all-expense-paid journalism conference in Washington, DC, for high school juniors and seniors. Build hands-on skills and boost your colle
• JROTC Leadership and Academic Bowl — U.S. Military: Challenge your leadership and academic skills in this national JROTC competition for high school students. Build your resume and gain hands-on experie
• World Quest Competition — World Affairs Councils: Challenge your knowledge of international relations, history, and current events in this free high school competition. Boost critical thinking and imp
• Capitol Forum Debate & Speech — Capitol Forum: Master debate and public speaking skills in this national competition for high schoolers. Boost college applications while gaining hands-on experience
• Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards — Hispanic Heritage Foundation: Celebrate Latino heritage through this national competition for high school seniors. Win $3,000 scholarships while boosting leadership skills and coll
• The Congressional Award Program — The Congressional Award Foundation: Earn U.S. Congress's youth achievement award by completing service, fitness, and personal development goals. Build leadership skills and boost college
• Congressional App Challenge — U.S. House of Representatives: Join a nationwide competition to design innovative apps, showcase your coding skills to Congress, and boost your college applications. Open to grades
• Young Ambassadors Program — Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino: Fully funded Smithsonian program for graduating high school seniors: a week-long training seminar in Washington, DC followed by a four-week paid pract

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