Opportunity Guide I Summer, Enrichment & Activities Guide

Developing as a writer requires writing a lot. There are opportunities available to encourage and motivate young writers and help them develop their craft.  If writing poems, plays and stories excites your child, encourage her submit her writing for publication in a school or special interest magazine. There are more than a few online literary and writing magazines that publish writing by and for children and teens.

For a child that likes competitions, many historical organizations and various nonprofits (e.g., environmental groups) sponsor annual themed writing contests for children in various age/grade categories. For an older child who wants to improve and enhance her skills, there are specialized summer writing workshops and intensives that offer focused concentrations (e.g., science fiction, screenwriting, novel writing) and provide an opportunity for peer review.



  1. Founded in 2002 by internationally acclaimed author Dave Eggers and award-winning educator Nínive Calegari, 826 Valencia inspired a network of creative writing and tutoring centers now eight cities… Read more
  2. Through on-site arts education programs, outreach to schools and community-based partnerships, Appel Farm provides people of all ages, cultures and economic backgrounds with a supportive, cooperative… Read more
  3. Summer Cadets learn to focus on achievement as they work to overcome physical and mental team challenges while developing self-confidence as leaders and contributing team members. Specifically… Read more
  4. Berklee summer programs will give you a taste of Berklee—the preeminent institute of contemporary music and the performing arts—on the stage, in the studio, and in the classroom. With programs in… Read more
  5. Engaging and mentoring students in studying the Holocaust and in grappling with its meaning and lessons for today is a vital part of the mission of the Rodgers Center for Holocaust Education. In… Read more
  6. Residential summer camp programs in: academic enrichment, English language, Enviro-tech for girls, theater arts, writing, invention and design labs filmmaking, math, science, community service,… Read more
  7. Drury University in Springfield, Missouri, provides one of the oldest and most complete pre-college programs for gifted children in the state of Missouri. Two residential programs, Summerscape and… Read more
  8. The Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP) is a nonprofit organization that has served over 2.8 million academically talented students in grades four through twelve since 1980. Each… Read more
  9. Duke Youth Programs is a part of Duke University Continuing Studies and has provided summer academic enrichment for academically motivated youth for over 35 years. Each summer approximately 650 youth… Read more
  10. Why do young people choose Young Writers’ Camp? It’s not like school: Imagine a place where learning and fun are the same. It’s a stress-free, nonjudgmental, open environment. It gives campers… Read more
  11. Every year, the EngineerGirl website sponsors a contest dealing with engineering and its impact on our world. The topic and detailed instructions for the contest are posted in the fall with a… Read more
  12. Employing the signature “O’Neill process,” the festival provides professional-level support to develop original one-act plays written by middle and high school students. With these methods, the young… Read more
  13. EXPLO summer programs allows students to investigate subjects they’re not likely to encounter during the school year. Our courses aren’t for credit and are ungraded. They encourage students to step… Read more
  14. FPSPI 's mission is to develop the ability of young people globally to design and achieve positive futures through problem solving using critical and creative thinking. FPSPI is a dynamic… Read more
  15. This annual essay contest is organized in an effort to harness the energy, creativity and initiative of the world's youth in promoting a culture of peace and sustainable development. It also aims to… Read more
  16. Summer courses for middle and high school students located on the Hofstra campus. Camp programs may include: journalism, foreign languages, sports broadcasting, math, diversity and writing.
  17. In a beautiful natural setting reminiscent of a traditional summer camp, the Idyllwild Arts Summer Program provides high caliber arts instruction and memorable arts immersion workshops to a diverse… Read more
  18. ICS maintains a listing of hundreds of academic competitions in order for students to get ranked in their ICS Global Academic Champions Ranking. Since 2012, ICS has been defining best-practices in… Read more
  19. Interlochen was founded in 1928 and is located in beautiful northwest lower Michigan. Each year, thousands of artists and arts patrons come to Interlochen to experience world-class educational and… Read more
  20. As the Midwest Torrance Center, we subscribe to creativity as the “highest form of mental functioning.” This framework was initiated and developed by E. Paul Torrance, known as the father of… Read more
  21. Jackson Hole Writers is once again partnering with the Teton County Library to offer writing sessions for middle-graders (10-13), though older students are always welcome to attend. A young open… Read more
  22. The world leader in gifted education since 1979, Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth is a nonprofit dedicated to identifying and developing the talents of academically advanced pre-college… Read more
  23. he purpose of this annual writing contest, named in honor of Willamette Writer’s founder, Kay Snow, is to help writers reach professional goals in writing in a broad array of categories and to… Read more
  24. The Mission of the Kids Philosophy Slam is to give kids a voice and to inspire kids to think by unlocking their intellectual and creative potential through a unique and powerful philosophical forum… Read more
  25. Letters About Literature is a reading and writing contest for students in grades 4-12. Students are asked to read a book, poem or speech and write to the author (living or dead) about how the book… Read more
  26. In 2005, Classical archaeologists Regan & Amy Barr founded The Lukeion Project. Now with a much larger teaching faculty, we offer 6 years of Classical Latin & 7 years of Greek, Classical… Read more
  27. Founded in 1921 and housed in the Michigan State University School of Journalism, the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association is a nonprofit organization composed of scholastic journalism teachers… Read more
  28. Every year, Mississippi State University offers summer camps designed to educate and inspire kids from elementary through high-school. Our camps give kids the opportunity to further their knowledge… Read more
  29. Student Writing Awards Achievement Awards in Writing (for 11th grade students) This school-based writing program encourages high school students in their writing and publicly recognizes some of the… Read more
  30. The National Federation of State Poetry Societies (NFSPS) is a non-profit organization, exclusively educational and literary. Its purpose is to recognize the importance of poetry with respect to… Read more
  31. Every year National History Day® frames students’ research within a historical theme. National History Day is a year-long academic program focused on historical research, interpretation and creative… Read more
  32. National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a fun, empowering approach to creative writing. The challenge: draft an entire novel in just one month. Why do it? For 30 wild, exciting, surprising days… Read more
  33. Since 1989, the National Student Leadership Conference has invited a select group of outstanding middle school and high school students to participate in its fast-paced, high-level, interactive… Read more
  34. 6-Week, 1-Week, & Everything In Between NYU’s varied array of high school programs offer flexibility and options that can be tailored to your individual needs and schedule. Most programs are… Read more
  35. Talent Search Assessment - A research-validated program, Northwestern University’s Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS) utilizes above-grade-level testing to identify academic ability, measure… Read more
  36. At A Novel Idea, we believe in the transformative power of language. We believe that words can change minds, change hearts, change our lives, and change the world. That's a tall order for anyone, let… Read more
  37. The OddContest is an annual competition for speculative (science fiction, fantasy, or horror) stories or prose poems no longer than 500 words. The contest has been sponsored since 2008 by Odyssey Con… Read more
  38. Quill and Scroll conducts two major competitions each year. Writing, Photo and Multimedia Contest and Blogging Competition Currently enrolled high school students are invited to enter the… Read more
  39. Since 2014, we at RCLA have been directing the Rachel Carson Intergenerational Sense of Wonder/Sense of the Wild Contest and continue to regard it as a worthwhile way to honor this great American’s… Read more
  40. River of Words® (ROW) is a program of The Center for Environmental Literacy and a part of the Kalmanovitz School of Education. Acknowledged pioneers in the field of place-based education, River of… Read more
  41. The Robinson Center’s Summer Program provides an intensive, inspirational, and in-depth learning experience for students prepared to take on the challenge. The Summer Program offers a rich variety of… Read more
  42. Summer at Roxbury Latin means growth and skill-building, fun and excitement, making new friends and doing what you love. With more than 25 athletic, academic and artistic enrichment programs to… Read more
  43. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in grades 7–12. Through the Scholastic Awards, teens in grades 7–… Read more
  44. Shared Worlds is an annual summer program designed for teen writers interested in speculative fiction (science fiction, fantasy, steampunk, etc.). The students work in groups with an experienced “… Read more
  45. Splash! is a yearly academic outreach program by many universities that invites high school students to attend classes created and taught by students, alumni, and local community members. Splash was… Read more
  46. A two-week camp held in June, SCATS offers high-ability students who have finished grades 6–8 a unique learning environment to explore new ideas, develop concepts, make friends, and share experiences… Read more
  47. With 33 years of experience, SIG designs a multi-week program that combines challenging academics with social, cultural, and recreational opportunities to nurture students’ social skills, as well as… Read more
  48. A three-week residential camp held in June and July, VAMPY offers high-ability students who have finished grades 7–10 the chance to focus on one course during six class hours each weekday plus a… Read more
  49. The Young Artists and Writers Project (formerly the Young American Writers Project) is dedicated to mentoring middle and high school students in the development of creative expression and critical… Read more
  50. A three-week residential program located on the campus of Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri with an academically challenging curriculum for grades 7-9. JBA offers a selection of liberal… Read more