Summer 2025

Spend this summer building leadership skills, exploring new opportunities, and connecting to your pathway!

This summer, why not take the opportunity to work on yourself? The high school years fly by quickly, and students need the summer break to relax and recharge while acquiring new experiences that cannot be had in school. Take a look at some of the suggestions below for ideas on how to spend your summer learning, experiencing, growing and most of all, enjoying your time away from school. In addition, visit our Counseling Page often for updated information about summer opportunities.

SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

Community Service is a great way to learn more about yourself and to give back to your community. Check with your place of worship, social service agencies, or just google "summer volunteer opportunities near me" for ideas.

Students in the Healthcare pathway may want to check out the Volunteen program at Northside Forsyth Hospital.

If you are interested in STEM, check out STEM Volunteer Projects

Interested in public service or history? Try this!

MORE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

INTERNSHIPS AND JOB SHADOWING

AAI students will benefit greatly from experience in jobs related to their pathway. Search for "summer internships in *pathway* near me" for ideas. Reach out to friends and neighbors that work in your area of interest. Request a job shadow at a company or organization that interests you. A job shadow can turn into an internship! Don't forget to Dress for Success!

GET A JOB

A part time job will teach a student about money management, responsibility, punctuality, time management and teamwork. Check out the Job Board for openings, or look for "Now Hiring" signs.

TRAVEL

Summer break is a great time to take a long trip to see family or explore new places and experience new things!

SUMMER PROGRAMS AND CAMPS

There are so many different camps and summer programs available for high school students! Try searching "summer camp" with your area of interest and see what is out there.

Click HERE for other ideas: The 20 Best Summer Programs for High School Students

Georgia Tech Cyber Security Camp, in partnership with the FBI and InfraGard is designed to be a launch pad for students to identify their future career path in science, technology, engineering, math, and cybersecurity. Students will be supported as they learn cutting edge cybersecurity skills, and techniques. Each student will be mentored by experts through scenario-based learning processes to develop their critical thinking skills and security awareness.
Georgia Tech CEISMC Summer P.E.A.K.S. (Programs for Enrichment and Accelerated Knowledge in STEAM) are one to two-week long experiences designed to increase Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) knowledge through various educational activities. Summer P.E.A.K.S. give rising 9th-12th grade students the chance to enhance learning during the summer in experiential activities on campus at Georgia Tech!
The Science of Psychology During this program we will learn about the intersections of how psychology plays a role in individual and group behavior, how the psychology of individuals influence the creation and use of technology, and much more. There will be research projects and lab demonstrations and at the end of the week you’ll know more about psychology, attention, and maybe even yourself. You might even improve your ability to succeed at school and work!
Seth Bonder Program in Computational and Data Science intended for high school students interested in computer science and engineering who have no or minimal background in data science and computer programming. The program only requires that participants are able to use a browser and have the desire to learn computational and data science through meaningful and exciting applications, in machine learning, optimization, computational social science, and genomics.
The GT G.I.R.L.S. (Girls Interested in Rapidly Learning STEAM) Program will introduce girls to exciting opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) for college and beyond. G.I.R.L.S. will conduct various hands-on activities and experiments throughout the week. Students will have an opportunity to explore the campus of Georgia Tech and learn more about STEAM fields of study.
University of Georgia Summer Academy Camps offers a series of STEAM and career exploration camps for all kinds of learners. If you are a middle or high school student, join us in Athens to explore new learning opportunities. You can learn new skills, discover a new passion, and satisfy your curiosity while having fun in a secure and engaging learning atmosphere. Register now!
Emory National Debate Institute is the signature program, which has been offered since the Emory National Debate Institute was founded in 1966. The majority of the students attending the ENDI will attend this session tailored to the experience level of the student - from students with no debate experience to those who have been debating for a few years. Click here for more information
Emory Summer Science Academy The Emory University School of Medicine hosts this two-week program for rising 9th and 10th-grade students interested in biology, healthcare or medicine. The program’s stated mission is to serve students from underrepresented minority backgrounds. Click here for more information
CDC Museum Disease Detective Camp is an interdisciplinary educational program organized by the CDC Museum. DDC reflects the museum’s mission of educating the public about CDC’s work. This academic day camp is held at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. Admission is open to high-school students during the summer before their junior or senior years. During camp students are immersed in the diverse field of public health. Click here for more information.
Emory Pre-College Program is a summer academic program for high school students. It gives current sophomores and juniors an exciting glimpse of academic and/or residential life at a top-ranked national university. 2024 Applications are open!
Clemson University Space Camp held at Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute in western North Carolina. High-school students can attend a two-week session that includes utilizing research-quality telescopes to explore space. Click here for more information
STEM Summer Camp at Georgia Tech Get a taste of collegiate life this summer at Georgia Tech. Our camps strike the perfect balance between STEM skill development and summer fun, allowing kids and teens to experience a week at an inspiring university location. Your child will work alongside new friends and learn from expert tech mentors, while taking breaks in between to enjoy Georgia Tech's outdoor playing fields for ultimate frisbee, capture the flag, kickball, board games, and more!
AICL Summer Enrichment Camp with classes designed to both introduce the novice and challenge the advanced learner. The classes are small, and our innovative teachers create an environment in which learning is fun and curiosity is rewarded. We offer a wide variety of courses, hoping to encourage our campers to choose subjects that may be outside of their comfort zone. Campers have the opportunity to engage in outdoor activities in the afternoon, then after dinner go to clubs and evening activities, which can range from campus-wide alien hunts to the disco. Click here for more information.
Vanderbilt Summer Academy is an intentionally designed, accelerated summer experience for academically advanced students, grounded in academic rigor and scholarly exploration, while also focused on fostering a strong sense of community and friendship. To learn more about this highly competitive program, click here.
Bulldog Pharmacy Camp Samford's McWhorter School of Pharmacy invites current high school sophomores, juniors and seniors to apply for its Bulldog Pharmacy Camp this summer to learn about careers in pharmacy. Campers will engage in hands-on lab demonstrations, participate in unique service projects, gain essential patient assessment skills and tour local health care facilities and pharmacies. Applications
Duke Pre-College Programs provide motivated current 6th-11th grade students with experiential learning and academic experiences in a university setting. Building on the legacy programs such as Duke Youth Programs and the Duke Talent Identification Program (TIP), Duke Pre-College Programs inspire and challenge the next generation of thinkers and leaders while offering them a glimpse into the opportunities for their future.

SUMMER ONLINE COURSES

Some students want to take a course over the summer through FVA or GAVS. In most cases, we do NOT recommend taking courses over the summer. See below for some of the reasons to take or not take summer courses.

If you do decide to take a course over the summer, check with your counselor first. When you complete the course you will need fill out a form to have the grade added to your transcript. Keep in mind that you can request a course to fill the space in your schedule, but it may not be available due to space/staffing.

NOTE:

Forsyth County Schools is implementing updates for Self-Pay Course Credits starting Summer 2025. These changes will apply to current freshmen (Class of 2029) and all following cohorts.

There is now a limit to the number of self-pay courses FCS will post to a student's high school transcript and factor into the GPA. These changes are designed to better align with state and district standards while supporting our students' academic success and overall well-being.

** Rising 9th grade students may earn up to 1 (0.5/0.5 or 1) high school credit for self-pay online courses (FVA or GAVS only) during the summer after 8th grade to be added to the high school transcript but NOT factored into the overall GPA.

For detailed information and FAQs, please visit the FCS website: FCS Self-Pay Course Credit

For more information on FVA Summer Classes Click Here

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