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. Are you a 9th, 10th, or 11th grader who is passionate about creative writing? Do you write poems or stories, in class or out, but wonder how good they are, and how you could make them better? Your… Read more
  2. 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
  3. Designed by Smith's professors and staff, these residential programs not only give students an inspiring learning experience, they can also request a recommendation from Smith faculty to use in your… Read more
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. Welcome to The Apprentice Writer, which annually features the best writing and illustrations from entries we receive each year from secondary schools throughout the United States. Susquehanna… Read more
  10. If you’re a talented writer entering 11th or 12th grade in fall 2018, join us for our Summer Writers Workshop. You’ll be immersed in intensive, small-group workshops in fiction, creative nonfiction,… Read more
  11. For over 50 years, Syracuse University Summer College has been giving high school students the opportunity to learn about potential careers and college majors through its renowned pre-college program… Read more
  12. 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
  13. The Summer Academic Experience Courses offers pupils from around the world the unique opportunity to experience courses taught in the Scottish academic tradition by current academic staff. Students… Read more
  14. The Pre-College Summer Institute is a dynamic and challenging program for high school students, where you’ll gain substantial foundational skills and college-level training while working with UArts'… Read more
  15. During the summer months, visiting high school students have three different summer experiences to select from here at UCLA: academic courses, online courses, or Precollege Summer Institutes.… Read more
  16. During the summer you can: accelerate progress towards your degree; enroll in courses that are difficult to enroll in during the fall, winter or spring quarters; enhance your career prospects; enrich… Read more
  17. UCSB Summer Sessions offers a variety of Pre-College programs that provide students with a unique opportunity to earn college credit while in high school. Simultaneously, these programs are designed… Read more
  18. Discover the awesome course opportunities for high school students this summer at the University of Chicago. Within a supportive campus community, students from all over the globe are exposed to… Read more
  19. The Iowa Young Writers' Studio offers online courses for high school students! These courses are offered independently of the summer residential program. Each spring, we will offer three online… Read more
  20. Students at the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio's Summer Residential Program spend two weeks living the writing life in Iowa City, Iowa, a mecca for creative writers. Students take core courses in fiction… Read more
  21. For 66 years, the world’s most prestigious writing university has served the country’s best high school journalists at the University of Iowa Summer Journalism Workshops.
  22. A kind of magic happens when you bring together a group of people who love to write. A passion for writing tends to mean a passion for thinking, observing, and discovering—all ingredients for great… Read more
  23. The Office of Pre-College Programs offers programs, events, and competitions that have been designed to challenge talented K-12 students to experience academic rigor and success at levels above what… Read more
  24. Penn delivers the challenge of an Ivy League curriculum to academically talented high school students seeking a pre-collegiate experience. Explore Penn's historic campus, engage with leading faculty… Read more
  25. At the University of Rochester, students pursue only what they’re interested in. With Rochester’s Pre-College Programs, high school students get that same freedom. Students make significant… Read more
  26. Established in 1947, the Voice of Democracy audio-essay program provides high school students with the unique opportunity to express themselves in regards to a democratic and patriotic-themed… Read more
  27. Young writers with disabilities and collaborative groups that include students with disabilities, in U.S. grades 6-12 (or equivalents) or ages 11-18 for non-U.S. students, are invited to explore the… Read more
  28. High School Summer Institutes combine traditional undergraduate class and lab curriculum with organized field trips, guest lectures, and small group activities in order for students to gain valuable… Read more
  29. The Middle School Summer Challenge program is designed to expand students' critical thinking skills in an exciting and innovative environment. During this two-week program, students enroll in one… Read more
  30. Wesleyan University offers a special 5-week college immersion opportunity for a select group of students. Wesleyan PreCollege Residential Scholars take an intensive writing course and an elective… Read more
  31. Writopia Lab is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in New York City in April of 2007. Writopia runs creative writing workshops for kids ages 6 to 18. All of the workshops have a maximum of… Read more
  32. Yale Summer Session seeks motivated high school students who wish to enroll in Yale College courses for credit. In for-credit courses, qualified high school students will share the classroom with… Read more
  33. The Young Writers Workshop of the University of Virginia is a nonprofit arts organization established in 1982 as the nation’s flagship program for young writers. Now in its fourth decade, it… Read more