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Teen DocMakers (UNPAID) 

WHO: High school students 13 or older

WHAT: The Teen DocMakers Lab (TDM) is a free award-winning, year-round, after school and summer intensive film program where high school students work in small teams to make a short documentary. TDM’s curriculum is founded in the cinematic tradition of the Maysles brothers, direct cinema/cinema verité, and encourages exploration of new approaches to filmmaking grounded in the innovative films/makers of today. We are looking for youth who have a story to tell, and want to make moving and honest films about subjects important to them. 

ADDITIONAL PERKS

• Compensation for subway travel

• Student Membership to MDC, with free access to all public screenings

• Field trips and networking opportunities

• Food provided at every class

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

TDM’s curriculum covers the documentary filmmaking process from start to finish. Working in small peer groups, you will learn how to operate a camera, lighting, audio equipment and state-of the-art editing software. The curriculum covers the process from concept to shooting: shot lists, story-boards, shooting scripts, visual composition, directing and editing. 

WHERE: 343 Lenox Avenue/Malcolm X Boulevard New York, NY, 10027 (between 127th and 128th Streets) Subways:  2/3, 4,5,6, A,B,C,D to 125th Street

WHEN: ASAP (no date listed but classes start in November)

HOW: https://form.jotform.com/Maysles/teen-doc-makers-application

DEADLINE TO APPLY: OPEN

BECOME AN NYC PARKS LIFEGUARD (PAID)

WHO: Highschool Students in 10-12 grade

WHAT: Earn your whistle! Become a NYC lifeguard to help keep NYC’s beaches and pools safe and develop skills that will last a lifetime. Lifeguards develop job skills, become part of a team, practice swimming, earn NYC Lifeguard certification, and learn CRP, first-aid, and rescue techniques. Lifeguards work 5–6 days each week, and first-year lifeguards earn a minimum of $16 an hour, for a weekly salary of approximately $800. 

WHERE: Work locations include the beautiful oceanfront in the Rockaways, historic Coney Island, and the only floating pool in North America!

WHEN: May through September 2025. Lifeguards work five or six days each week

DEADLINE TO APPLY: Ongoing

HOW: https://www.nycgovparks.org/opportunities/jobs/lifeguards

THE SPRING BREAK GAME DESIGN LAB (UNPAID)

WHO: High school students 

WHAT: The Urban Arts Spring Break Game Design Lab is a FREE 3-day camp for NYC high school students. 

Lunch and materials will be provided, as well as & 2-way Metrocards for students who don't have OMNY cards.

At the lab, you will: 

learn about game design theory (what makes a game fun), come up with your own game ideas 

remix a 2D platformer game with your own art, music, and characters

get hands-on with industry game development tools, including Unity3D

No prior experience required! 

WHERE: Urban Arts, 39 W. 19th Street b/t 5th & 6th Ave

WHEN: Tuesday-Thursday, April 15-17, from 10am-4pm

DEADLINE: Rolling 

HOW: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd-KQKvPnef7-HaWmyTjK8VI3UKhLx_WXx0odyGD2CwB86RMg/viewform  

URBAN ARTS (SIA) MAKE YOUR OWN VIDEO GAMES (UNPAID)

WHO: Rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders

WHAT: At the School of Interactive Arts (SIA)'s 6-week summer camp, offered by nonprofit Urban Arts, students learn coding, digital art, animation, music & storytelling through game development.

WHERE: Choose from a remote/virtual class on Discord, or in-person classes meeting in NYC on 19th street near Union Square (with 🌯 lunch and snacks!)

WHEN: July 7- August 15, Monday - Friday from 10am - 5pm

DEADLINE TO APPLY:  Open but it's encourage for applicants to apply as early as possible. 

HOW: Students join a brief online info session, then fill out our application with a parent/guardian.

INFO SESSION SIGN-UP: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScKm8s3Jtc1Tt7KvNlEtMEbMvJ1celAbWKNcCjCNzl7nQYh2g/viewform

HARLEM TEEN SHAKESPEAR (UNPAID)

WHO: High school students currently 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th Graders

WHAT: Harlem Teen Shakespeare Intensive (HTSI) is a summer program in partnership with Classical Theatre of Harlem that gives young dreamers an opportunity to learn about the performing arts and create original works. Participants will learn about theater, acting and movement from professional actors, filmmakers and other industry pros, then collaborate on their own productions.

WHERE: 205 WEST 119TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10026

WHEN: Monday, July 7th - Friday, July 18th from 1:00pm to 5:00pm  

DEADLINE TO APPLY:  ASAP

HOW: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdv-jnyS3ALzZwtjHKAozhYT67D5X3DpGyUPAPwmZP0qUk9zw/viewform 

HIGH SCHOOL FELLOW RECRUITMENT: CLEAR DIRECTION MENTORING (UNPAID)

WHO: Sophomore to senior year of high school students 

WHAT: Clear Direction Mentoring (CDM) is a FREE mentorship program dedicated to increasing diversity and inclusion in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Medicine (STEMM) fields by providing 1-on-1, group, and peer mentorship support to outstanding high school students from underrepresented backgrounds in STEMM. 

WHERE: 120 Broadway – 3rd Floor, New York, New York 10271

WHEN: October 4, 2025 – May 2, 2026

DEADLINE TO APPLY: Sunday, July 13 at MIDNIGHT.

HOW: https://cleardirectionmentoring.org/join-us 

THE FUTURE TEACHERS PROGRAM WITH YOUNG MINDS IN MOTION (PAID)

WHO: High school students 

WHAT: Are you a high school senior interested in becoming a teacher? The Future Teachers Program with Young Minds in Young Minds in Motion

offers a paid, hands-on experience in early childhood and elementary education. Students will work alongside certified educators, attend career development workshops, and receive mentorship to support their journey into the teaching profession. The program is completely free to students and also provides opportunities to earn scholarships for college.

WHERE: It is held on an ongoing basis in Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Harlem.

WHEN: Internship would begin Summer 2025 and run through June 2026

DEADLINE TO APPLY:  July 1st, 2025

HOW: https://youngmindsinmotion.com/careers/ 

           To start the application process, email your resume to Niyasha James at niyashaj@youngmindsinmotion.com.

YOUTH FOOD ADVOCATES (PAID)

WHO: High school students currently 9th, 10th, 11th Graders

WHAT: Youth Food Advocates (YFA) is a 10-month internship program for young people who are interested in systemic change in New York City food systems, with a focus on school food.

The YFA internship is ideal for young people interested in: 

Becoming school food experts

Gaining advocacy skills 

Learning about and improving NYC food policy

Making an impact in their school communities and citywide

This year, our youth leaders:

Conducted citywide qualitative observations across 15 high school campuses

Traveled to Albany to support Healthy School Meals for All NY Kids campaign

Presented their research results and recommendations to audiences across the city

And so much more!

WHERE: Community Food Advocates, 55 Exchange Place, Suite 402 New York, NY 10005

WHEN: From September through June, YFA interns meet weekly virtually and a minimum of four times in-person to plan, organize, and participate in campaign actions and coalition activities.

DEADLINE TO APPLY:  June 15th, 2025

HOW: https://www.foodadvocates.org/youth-leadership/join-yfa 

OCTAVIA PROJECT SUMMER INSTITUTE (UNPAID)

WHO: Young women and trans, nonbinary, and/or gender non-conforming youth ages 14-19

WHAT: Are you interested in anime/manga and fantasy culture? Do you write science fiction or love to draw? Would you like to learn new coding skills? Then join the Octavia Project! The Octavia Project Summer Institute is a free summer workshop program based in Brooklyn for young women and trans, nonbinary, and/or gender non-conforming youth ages 14-19 to bridge their love of science fiction, creative writing, art, science, and technology! 

Our 2025 Summer Institute will run in-person at Pratt Institute in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

An Octavia Project participant will finish the program with:

Strengthened skills in digital-media, art, and writing, as well as a greater confidence in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

A community of creative peers sharing thoughts and ideas.

Access to a network of professional authors, architects, city planners, artists & more, as well as fellowships and other leadership opportunities.

An opportunity to share their work at a public showcase and get published in the Octavia Project zine.

WHERE: Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.

WHEN: Our 5-week program will run from July 14 to Aug. 14. We meet four days a week: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 12-4pm. 

DEADLINE TO APPLY: June 15, 2025

HOW: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScYVi_1oQjF3U68PLlWyYSkuarFKTBrYxacd9ZuCBB94FMGiQ/viewform?usp=dialog