GET INVOLVED
Youth Summer Opportunities
Hello, Los Gatos area students and parents!
I know that finding opportunities for young people to get involved can be challenging, so I'm here to help!
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First, I think it's important to share that when I was in high school, I didn't do a single internship - and I turned out alright! Over my summers, I worked as a lifeguard, and I had a job doing gardening and landscaping work. If you're more interested in a job than an internship, lots of local businesses like Ace Hardware, Classic Carwash, the Birdwatcher, and many others are often hiring.
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However, if you are interested in summer internships and programs, I wanted to share some of my recommendations for different age levels below. Please note that I have not gone through any of these programs, so do your own due diligence before signing up. Feel free to share this with anyone who might be interested, and let me know if you have questions!​​​​​
Camps for Younger Kids
YSI Camp: The Youth Science Institute offers various summer camps for kids starting at pre-kindergarten-aged kids up through 6th graders. YSI immerses children in the wonders of the natural world through outdoor adventures, hands-on activities, and exciting encounters with local wildlife and habitats. I wish I had this when I was a kid! Learn more here.
KCAT Camp: KCAT, Los Gatos' local TV station, offers summer camps for 9-13 year olds! I have heard great reviews of this engaging way for kids to be creative and learn about scriptwriting, filming, editing, and more. Check out the camp here!
Los Gatos-Saratoga Recreation Camps: LGS Recreation has dozens of options, and there is surely a camp for whatever your child is interested in! From field trips to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Great America to cooking classes to boating lessons to sports camps, there is something for everyone. Offerings begin for children as young a 3 years old all the way up through high school-aged kids. You can learn about the many offerings here!
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Walden West Camps: Walden West offers fun camps and experiences for kids as young as kindergarten and as old as freshman in high school. I participated in the “Leaders in Training” overnight summer camp when I was in 8th grade and had a great experience! Learn more here!
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Saratoga Springs Camps: Saratoga Springs also offers interactive, outdoor day camps for students ages 5 through 17. This camp is like Walden West but does not offer overnight camps. Check it out here.
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High School Level Internships
Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action Academy: Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action is organizing its first Youth Climate Leadership Academy. The program lasts three weeks (from July 7 to July 25). During it, you can learn everything you need to know about climate change, movement building, community organizing, and advocacy. Learn more and apply here.
High School Democrats Summit: High School Democrats from around the country will gather from July 14th through 17th for a transformative summit in Washinton, D.C.! This event unites high schoolers from across the country for a series of trainings, speaker sessions, panels, tours, and networking events. Check out the Summit here!
Guadalupe River Park Conservancy: GRPC is an environmental nonprofit that seeks to preserve the natural ecology and offer visitors ways to discover and enjoy the Guadalupe River Park area. You can help with animal care, education, and more. Check out the applications here.
Kaiser Summer Internship: Kaiser hires summer high school interns at many of their sites throughout the Bay Area. Most internships appear clerical, but could be a good opportunity to learn about a healthcare system. Learn more here! You can also search "high school intern" here.
Stanford Programs: Stanford offers a variety of paid summer programs you can check out here.
San Jose Stage Company: The San Jose Stage Company has paid internships that aim to give students a taste of what a career in theatre would be like. Learn more here!
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Democracy Summer: Congressman Jamie Raskin created the Democracy Summer program to bring about political change in America by training and deploying the next generation of Democratic organizers and leaders to win elections at every level. Opportunities are available all over the country, including locally. The priority deadline to submit applications was April 18th, but some offices are still accepting applications. Check it out here!
College Level Internships
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space Planning Intern: Midpen Open Space's Planning Department is seeking interns who are interested in learning about open space conservation and planning for ecologically sensitive recreation. This is a paid internship at $25 an hour. Learn more here!
City of Palo Alto Summer Internship: A few different Bay Area cities offer internships, but the City of Palo Alto's program is particularly well-programmed. You can apply to intern in your area of interest from Community Services to Public Works to the Library. Check it out here!
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The Borgen Project: The Borgen Project is a nonprofit focused on advancing policies and programs that have large-scale impact on people hit hardest by war, famine, and poverty. They have a variety of remote internships working in areas from public relations to to journalism to political affairs. You can learn more here!
Bloom Energy: Bloom Energy is a major clean energy company based in the Bay Area. They are hiring a variety of summer interns in sectors from Policy to Finance to Engineering to Marketing. Check out the opportunities here!
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City of San Jose: The City of San Jose is the largest, most robust municipal government in the Bay Area, and they're hiring interns for many different departments! Check out the options here!
Congressional Internship: Our government officials often hire summer interns, including our Members of Congress, State Senators, State Assemblymembers, and more. You can see Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren's internship program here, but I also recommend looking up elected official's names + "internship" to find other opportunities.
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Democracy Summer: The Democracy Summer is also available to college students. This innovative program works to create political change in America by training and deploying the next generation of Democratic organizers and leaders to win elections at every level. Opportunities are available all over the country, including locally. The priority deadline to submit applications was April 18th, but some offices are still accepting applications. Check it out here!