Summer Programs

APIs (Asian Pacific Islanders) Mobilize Youth Leadership Program for high school juniors and seniors! APIs Mobilize is now accepting applications for their 2025 Mobilize Youth Leadership Program taking place June 14 - July 12, 2025. This FREE 5-week summer program helps students build leadership skills, explore the democratic process, and connect with influential community leaders, corporate professionals, and elected officials.
Link: https://bit.ly/MYLP2025
Mission Bit. Registration deadline is May 4th, 2025. Sign up here.
Offering free, online coding classes over the summer.

Acterra Student Ambassador Program (ASAP). Applications reviewed on rolling basis until final deadline on May 28th, 2025. Apply here.
Engage in environmental education, leadership development, and hands-on climate action. Participants will work in teams to design and implement sustainability projects that address environmental challenges in their communities. Students will attend virtual environmental education sessions featuring guest speakers, bi-weekly project check-ins, and two in-person gatherings at local gardens or nature preserves
Oasis for Girls. Application deadline is May 28th, 2025. Apply here.
Oasis for Girls has 3 programs to choose from including CREATE: Arts & Activism with mini-internship at Women’s Audio Mission, RISE: Life Development (Social Justice, Wellness, Leadership) and ENVISION: Career & College Exploration with mini-internship at UCSF. Participants are paid a stipend. The summer program runs Tues-Thurs from 2-6pm at their office near Civic Center. Incoming 9th graders through recent high school graduates.
Community Reading Buddies. Apply to be a youth mentor. Application here.
Youth mentors will meet over Zoom 1-1 with elementary students for reading practice and support 2 times a week. Eern 20+ volunteer hours with one shift. 8-week program. Reliable WiFi and laptop with camera required.

Girlfly Art & Activism Dance Program. Application deadline is May 15th, 2025. Apply here.
Girlfly brings together young women ages 14-19 for four weeks in San Francisco who are interested in dance, social justice, performing and making positive change in the world. All participants earn a stipend and get a chance to perform.

uCreate is a youth organization dedicated to fostering creativity and promoting entrepreneurial growth amongst youth artists. Summer program applications are due April 25, 2025. Click here for application. @ucreate.sf
UCSF Summer Camps: UCSF has several summer program for high school students. Learn more at https://cseo.ucsf.edu/summer-opportunities. Preference is given to students from UCSF Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP) schools which are Burton and Downtown High School.

First Exposures. Application deadline is June 8th, 2025. Apply here.
In the Summer Photography Mentoring Program, students ages 11-18 can learn film or digital photography. Classes are free and will be taught by Teaching Artists, using digital cameras, photo editing software, darkroom, and creativity as tools.

BAYCAT Digital Media Classes. Apply here. No deadline given on website.
Students ages 11-18 will learn about filmmaking or can do their own independent media project.

Coro Youth Leadership Accelerator (1-week leadership camp in SF). Application deadline is April 25th, 2025. $900 cost. Details and application info here.

Women’s Foundation California Leadership Retreat. Application deadline is April 17th, 2025. Apply here.
Summer Leadership Institute (SLI) is a free three-day program in Sonoma 7/7-7/10 designed for genderqueer and nonbinary people, cis women, and trans people of any gender that equips young people with the tools, connections, and confidence to level up their leadership. Participants receive $500 stipend.
Rotary Youth Leadership Camp. Application deadline is April 15th, 2025. Apply here.
The Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA) invites high school students to apply for a FREE five-day residential camp in Santa Cruz over the summer that supports youth leadership and personal development and promotes positive youth mental health through friendships and camp fun. Learn more at www.ryla.camp
Exploring Leadership, Coro Northern California. Applications closed. Open to 9th, 10th, and 11th graders. Coro Northern California's Exploring Leadership (EL) Youth Program is a 6-week summer program in San Francisco for high school students to develop leadership skills and explore civic engagement and career pathways. Learn more at https://coronorcal.org/program/exploring-leadership/

AAMPLIFY Social Justice Leadership Program. Details for Summer 2025 have not come out yet.
The AAMPLIFY program runs for two weeks in the summer and trains and supports Asian American, rising 9th-12th grade leaders. Learn more here