Open to all students in the classes of 2026, 2027 and 2028, BigFuture® awards hundreds of $500 scholarships and at least two $40,000 scholarships each month to students who take steps toward their career and education after high school. There is no required essay, minimum GPA or test score. You qualify yourself by taking steps to  get ready for life after high school. If your family’s income is less than $60,000 per year, you will get extra chances at these scholarships and earn double the entries for every drawing.

Get started here!

Schoolhouse.world is a non-profit started by Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy, that provides free peer tutoring over Zoom. Join their small-group SAT Bootcamps, College Admission Workshops, and Math Learning Labs or get extra homework help – all alongside a global community of students like you. Create a free account at https://schoolhouse.world! 

The Senate page program  offers students the opportunity to learn about and participate in the legislative process of our state. It is an experience that enables high school students in tenth, eleventh and twelfth grade to observe firsthand how laws are made.

Senate Pages assist members and staff of the Senate during the legislative session. They are given the unique opportunity to work on the Senate Chamber floor and in committee meetings, in the middle of the legislative action. Pages perform additional duties including, but not limited to, delivering messages and materials within the legislative complex, clerical work, distributing documents and running errands. 

Each Senator may appoint up to two pages during this session. Availability of weeks is based on a first-come, first-served basis, so apply early if you are interested in a specific week. Parents/guardians of pages will be responsible for securing lodging during the time their child serves; host families are not available. The program will be offered April 27 - June 25, 2025 (subject to change).

Please contact Senator Allison Hicks with any questions at allison.hicks@ncleg.gov 

The Guided Pathway Support Program (GPS) is a FREE, virtual program specifically designed for rising college-bound African American high school juniors and seniors. GPS offers direct access to expert resources and personalized support, ensuring that students have the tools they need to navigate the admissions and scholarship search process with confidence. GPS offers students and parents: 

• Individual and group college counseling

• Free test prep services through the Princeton Review

• Direct college and scholarship application support including essay and activities list reviews, mock interviews, and strategy sessions

• Help navigating the financial aid process, including FAFSA and CSS Profile support

• Information about scholarship, internship, academic support, and leadership development programs

GPS does not have an application deadline and serves students virtually year-round.  There are no GPA, test scores, income, or geography requirements to participate in our program.

Students and parents can register today at www.ronbrown.org/gps/

Student Ambassador Leadership Program 

Lead Teen Ambassadors represent the youth perspective in Camp S.W.A.G. programs and work closely with adult mentors to ensure activities reflect teen voices.

Benefits include:

• Free participation in the YLF leadership program

• Hands‑on leadership experience + direct mentorship

• Priority access to events and workshops

• Exclusive Ambassador‑only leadership training

• Spotlight features on our website and social media

• Ambassador badge + certificate

• Opportunities to represent Camp S.W.A.G. at school and community events

Commitment:

• Monthly 60‑minute virtual or in‑person meetings

• Support during special events or program rollouts

• Represent teen interests in program planning

• Mentor peers and help facilitate workshops

Learn more and Apply: https://cswag.org/volunteer-opportunities/

About Camp S.W.A.G.

Founded in 2014, Camp S.W.A.G. (Students With Ambitions & Goals) is a registered North Carolina nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth through character-building and leadership development. They are currently undergoing a strategic rebrand in preparation for our 2026 501(c)(3) application.

Core programs include:

• Youth Leadership Foundations: Cultivating the next generation of leaders.

• STEM-X DISCOVERY LAB: Hands-on exploration in science and technology for students in Grades 2-8..

• Group Mentoring Program: Building community through guided peer and adult support.

They also champion AI safety and responsible technology use, ensuring students are prepared to lead ethically in an increasingly digital world.

If you have any questions, please contact Dorothy@cswag.org.

Bike Durham offers adult and teen bike riding classes with different starting points designed to meet you where you’re at - whether you’ve never ridden, haven’t ridden since childhood, or need to freshen up your skills. Classes cost $65 (with sliding scale payment available) and last about 3 hours each, typically held on weekend mornings and afternoons at our office in downtown Durham. Take them in sequence or as standalone classes! 

Through R.I.S.E. (Readiness in Sports Education), students gain practical experience in sports marketing and media. This program equips them to craft compelling content for their school’s website and social media channels, fostering creativity and real-world skills.

Click here to sign up!

Real Talk is a career and college exploration initiative designed to connect Black students and families with Black professionals and representatives from colleges and access organizations across the country. They empower Black students to own their future, their way. 

If you are looking for opportunities to enrich your skills this summer, the CFNC Student Enrichment Programs Search Tool is the place to start. Many organizations across the state offer fun educational programs for students of all ages on a range of topics. Check it out here!

Explore@UNC is Carolina’s one-week, on-campus pre-college program that lets high school students test-drive college life and academic paths. The program is built to encourage movement both toward and away from an initial interest so students can make more confident choices about college majors and careers. Students choose from majors like biology, anthropology, music, political science, sports administration, archaeology, public policy, classics, and more— diving into each as a focused two-day track led by Carolina faculty and near-peer mentors. The result is a genuine taste of college life and learning at a top public research university.

Tour labs and studios, meet faculty, engage in real classes, and hear from alumni and practitioners who map career pathways and college journeys. Whether students spend the week analyzing ancient art or reenacting the Cuban Missile Crisis, zooming out with aerial imaging or zooming in under a microscope, every student leaves with clearer interests and a firsthand look at what it means to study the major.

Program Dates

• Week 1: June 22-26, 2026

• Week 2: June 29-July 3, 2026

• Week 3: July 6-10, 2026

• Week 4: July 13-17, 2026

Pathways is a free, virtual program that empowers high school girls and non-binary students of all experience levels to explore AI, Game Design, Cybersecurity, and more, while learning how to build tech for good. The program is entirely flexible in how participants choose to learn and requires no prior coding experience. Students complete courses at their own pace over seven weeks, from June 29 to August 14.

Beyond coding, students gain real-world insights through Partner Events with leading tech organizations, connect with peers through Girls Who Code’s private Discord community, and join optional Student Hours for live support. Participants earn a certificate for each completed course and join Girls Who Code’s lifelong alumni network, gaining access to mentorship, internships, and career opportunities in tech.

Students can apply by February 25th for priority consideration. The application closes on April 10th.

The Summer Training in Academic Research (STAR) Program provides a high-quality research experience for high school students, undergraduate students, and medical students during the summer academic break.

The five-week in-person program will give participants interested in science and medicine real hands-on experience in research methodology and writing. Participants are placed in teams and matched with Duke faculty mentors to work on an original, hypothesis-driven project, originating as a one-page summary and culminating in a complete research paper. A goal of the program is to have every participant qualify for co-authorship on a peer-reviewed manuscript related to their team’s project.

The STAR Program is held at the Duke Clinical Research Institute in Durham, N.C., which has organized educational and support programs for junior faculty, fellows, residents, and medical students as well as high school and college students. Participants receive a stipend to attend, which makes the program an option even for students who plan to work over the summer break.

The mission of The Triangle Nonprofit & Volunteer Center is to strengthen the Triangle community by mobilizing volunteers, empowering and supporting non-profits, enhancing community leadership and involvement, engaging and developing corporate partnerships, and coordinating vital human services for the Department of Social Services.

They offer multiple summer programs for high school students:

• IMPACT Camp provides Triangle high school students with a local week-long summer service experience. Together, a diverse cohort of participants learn about the issues facing their community by visiting different community organizations, working on a variety of service projects, hearing from community leaders, and engaging in reflection activities. 

• CELI is an intensive week-long summer enrichment experience that empowers high school students to impact Triangle communities through socially conscious thought and action. By exploring the root causes of social issues, working with nonprofit agencies, and creating capstone service projects, students develop the knowledge, skills, values, and motivation to help shape the future of the Triangle and beyond. One capstone project has the option to become fully funded and implemented should the student choose to do so.  

• In an adapted Model UN simulation, students take on the role of UN ambassadors and learn the fundamentals of diplomatic debate. Students think critically, act collaboratively, and develop solutions to today's most pressing global challenges. The Center is partnering with UNC-Chapel Hill's own Model United Nations club and Duke Corporate Education to facilitate this week. 

Looking to volunteer or in need of community service/volunteer hours? The Triangle Area has so many wonderful places to spend your time at and give back to the community. Look through these opportunities and find the right fit for you! 

From the NCSSM website:

North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics equips students with the skills and knowledge they need to design their futures. For more than 40 years, our school has been opening doors of opportunity for talented young North Carolinians from every part of the state through our residential school option for 11th- and 12th-graders on our original Durham campus. In the fall of 2022, our second campus opened atop a ridge in Morganton, ultimately expanding the opportunity to 300 more students each year.

Something transformative happens when we gather a critical mass of highly motivated and diverse high school students with equally accomplished, credentialed, and diverse faculty in these living-learning communities. Our 11,000 alumni have become global leaders in technology, commerce, medicine, education, and the arts – a community of real-world problem solvers who build a brighter future. Could this be the opportunity that helps you become one, too?

Click here to learn more!

Click here to learn more about the application process to NCSSM.  The application process for the Class of 2028 will open on October 15, 2025, and close on  January 5, 2026, at 11:59 PM. 

Please include me, Ms. Maureen Kurz (maureen_kurz@dpsnc.net), as your counselor in the application portal, as I will be completing the counselor recommendations for NCSSM applications.  It is ALWAYS a good idea to email or talk to the person from whom you are requesting a recommendation, so stop by Student Services to see me!