If you’re a high school student in Fort Worth, Texas, summer programs offer you the chance to explore specialized fields like technology, environmental science, or business, going beyond what’s typically covered in high school. You’ll collaborate with professionals and work on projects that mirror real-world challenges, learning about areas that interest you in depth. These programs allow you to explore niche interests, refine your strengths, and gain practical insights.
Here are 10 awesome programs for high school students in Fort Worth, Texas, in 2024-2025!
Location: Virtual
Program Dates: Vary according to cohort:
- Spring: March 3, 2025 onwards
- Lab dates are flexible, but you must apply 4 weeks in advance
Application Deadline: February 16, 2025, for the upcoming spring cohort
Subject Areas: Data Science, Biology, Chemistry, Political Theory, Psychology, and more
Eligibility: High school students, typically in 10th or 11th grade, with a 3.67+ GPA. Only a couple of tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, public health and safety, social psychology, and medicine. It is one of the very few research programs for high school students that offers a choice between quantitative and qualitative research!
Once you select a particular subject track and type of research, you’ll be paired with a professor or PhD scholar from a top university who will mentor you throughout your research journey. You’ll work to create a 20-page, university-level research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student. The program includes a letter of recommendation for every student, plus comprehensive feedback on projects that can assist with future work and college applications. Apply here!
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Duration: 10 sessions, 2.5 hours per session
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: January 5, 2025, for the upcoming spring cohort
Subject Areas: Data science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Computer Science, Finance, Medicine
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python
Cost:
- $2,290 for the 10-week AI Scholars program
- $5,400 for the 15-week AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase
- $6,900 for both
- Need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars. You can apply here
Run by Harvard graduates, Veritas AI is a program designed to teach ambitious high school students about artificial intelligence. In the AI + Medicine Deep Dive, you will learn how AI is used in the healthcare and medical industry. You will get to work on real-world projects using AI & ML models to diagnose diseases, sharpen medical scans, and explain their outcomes to aid doctors and patients in the larger context of public health and wellbeing. Here is the program brochure and the application form.
Subject Areas: STEM, Humanities, and Social Sciences
Location: Remote
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum 3.3 out of 4 GPA
Application Deadline: December 29, 2024 for the upcoming winter cohort
Program Dates: Vary according to cohort
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program, founded by Harvard and Oxford researchers, offers high school students the opportunity to work one-on-one with PhD mentors to develop an independent research project in their subject area. Selected students will undergo immersive sessions with their mentors, who will help them produce a college-level research paper based on their projects. Support from writing coaches will also be provided. You can choose your subject track in the application form as well as a specific area of focus!
Subject areas: Technology, Business, Finance, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Healthcare and Medicine, Software Engineering, and more
Cost: $2,490 (financial aid available)
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort; December 10, 2024 for the upcoming winter cohort
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including in the summer
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Ladder Internships, founded by Harvard alumni, connects high school students with startups and nonprofits worldwide for virtual internships. Participants engage in data collection, analysis, and interpretation and also receive personalized training in communication, time management, and other essential skills. Each intern is paired with a research manager and a Ladder coach for mentorship throughout the program.
Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average raising over a million dollars. Past founders have included YCombinator alums, founders raising over 30 million dollars, or founders who previously worked at Microsoft, Google, and Facebook. In the program, interns work closely with their managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company.
Subject Areas: Business, Entrepreneurship, Technology
Cost: The total cost to attend the 3-week program is $2,900. There is need-based financial aid
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops
Eligibility: The program is currently open to all high school students
Program Dates: Multiple, year-round cohorts. March 3, 2025, onwards for the upcoming spring cohort
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort. February 9, 2025, for the upcoming spring cohort. You can access the application link here!
The Young Founder’s Lab is a startup boot camp founded by Harvard entrepreneurs designed to help students build revenue-generating startups that solve real-world problems. You will be mentored by entrepreneurs and professionals from companies like Google, Microsoft, and X, gaining valuable industry insights. In addition to developing your startup, the program includes interactive classes on business fundamentals, ideation workshops, skill-building sessions, case studies, and panel discussions. This hands-on experience equips you with the tools and knowledge to launch and grow your own business.
The TCU Neeley School of Business offers a selective, one-week residential summer program for high school students entering 11th or 12th grade focused on data analytics and market research. In this program, you’ll engage in six hours of daily learning led by expert instructors, developing skills in data analysis and building models to assess business performance. Through practical exercises, you’ll see firsthand how data informs company strategies and profitability. Along with the academic experience, you’ll have the chance to explore TCU’s campus. This program provides a foundational understanding of data’s role in modern business, preparing you for future studies and careers.
Subject Areas: Data Analytics, Mathematics, Computer Science
Location: TCU Neeley School of Business, Fort Worth, TX
Cost: $1,800 covering room, board, tuition, and recreation facilities + $10 application fee
Application Deadline: April 11, 2025 (registration will open on February 3, 2025)
Program Dates: July 13 – 18, 2025
Eligibility: High school students entering 11th or 12th grade
The Rising Stars Youth Leadership Academy, organized by the City of Fort Worth, is a year-round leadership and career development program for students aged 13 to 17. Through this program, you’ll build leadership, problem-solving, and career readiness skills, focusing on community involvement and personal growth.
Interactive sessions cover community issues, self-assessment, and resilience, helping you set and achieve personal and vocational goals. You’ll also participate in college campus visits, field trips, and networking events with professionals, gaining exposure to careers in various fields. Upon completing the program, you’ll earn a certificate recognizing your leadership and community service.
Subject Areas: Leadership, Community Service, College Readiness, Public Speaking, and more
Location: Multiple locations across Fort Worth, TX
Cost: No cost. However, there may be a small fee for larger group activities
Application Deadline: TBA for 2025
Program Dates: TBA for 2025
Eligibility: High school students in Fort Worth, TX; all participants need to have a City of Fort Worth membership card
In this journalism program, you’ll dive into a college-prep experience tailored for high school students interested in media careers. You’ll sharpen your critical thinking and writing skills as you brainstorm story ideas, report on them, and turn them into news pieces. You’ll create content for a newscast and write articles for a website, gaining hands-on experience across different media formats. Media professionals from Fort Worth and Dallas will mentor you, offering insights into the media landscape and discussing various career paths within journalism.
Subject Areas: Journalism
Location: Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX
Cost: $2,000
Application Deadline: TBA for 2025
Program Dates: July 21 – 25, 2025
Eligibility: High school students
The Children’s Education Program at Bass Performance Hall provides free in-person summer music camps for high school students, supported by donor contributions. In 2024, the program offered separate percussion and choral camps. Participants in the percussion camp will likely develop rhythm, instrument techniques, and ensemble coordination skills, while the choral camp focuses on vocal techniques, harmony, and choral performance. Information on the 2025 camps will be available in the spring.
Subject Areas: Percussion Techniques and Instrumentation, Vocal Techniques and Choral Singing, Rhythm and Timing, Music Theory and Interpretation
Location: Bass Performance Hall, Fort Worth, TX
Cost: No cost
Application Deadline: TBA for 2025
Program Dates: June 3 – 6, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: High school students
Fort Worth’s High School Zoo Camp, taking place over two separate weeks in Summer 2025, offers daily sessions from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for students interested in exploring various aspects of animal care and zoo operations. Each day centers on a unique theme, such as mammals, reptiles, veterinary science, or animal nutrition, allowing you to explore topics of interest.
With behind-the-scenes access, you’ll learn from zoo professionals about animal care routines, dietary needs, and health management. The program includes up-close experiences with zoo animals, providing an immersive approach to understanding wildlife care and conservation efforts. You can sign up for individual sessions or attend the full week for a comprehensive experience!
Subject Areas: Wildlife, Ecology, and Conservation
Location: Fort Worth Zoo, Fort Worth, TX
Cost: $157.50 for zoo members and $175 for non-members
Application Deadline: Registration will begin for zoo members on December 2, 2024, and on January 6, 2025, for non-members
Program Dates: Week 1: June 2 – 6, 2024 | Week 2: July 28 – August 1, 2025
Eligibility: Students entering 9th through 12th grades
David Wilkinson is a freelance writer for Horizon and currently resides in the United States.