Middle school is one of the most formative periods for developing the habits, skills, and self-awareness that shape how students engage with the world. Leadership activities during these years provide a structured way to develop critical thinking, creative problem-solving, and collaborative skills before you start high school. Rather than simply learning about leadership, you can practice it by organizing a school fundraiser, leading a small-group project, mentoring younger s

If you’re interested in marketing and want to get better at this skill early, marketing competitions for high school students are an excellent way to start. Marketing competitions involve tasks like building a campaign, studying consumer behavior, and deciding how to position a product or idea. You may work with data, create messaging, and present your approach within a fixed format. The focus is on how clearly you can think and communicate.

Research is one of those skills that shows up across all the fields, whether you’re studying science, economics, psychology, or even policy. If you want to start building that skill in high school, working on an independent research project is one of the most practical ways to do it! The way you choose your topic matters more than most students think. It is easy to go with the first idea that sounds interesting, but that often leads to problems later. Spending time explori

Internships are one of the best ways to gain practical experience while you're still in college. They allow you to apply what you're learning in the classroom, build professional skills, and get a clearer sense of the career paths available in your field. Whether you're interested in business, technology, engineering, healthcare, marketing, or research, internships can help you develop relevant experience and make valuable professional connections before graduation. Raleigh

Williams-Sonoma has the earliest deadline at December 5. OakDOT closes January 9 and Asian Health Services closes March 2. Port of Oakland closes March 11 and UC Office of the President closes March 31. Kaiser Permanente, Fehr & Peers, PG&E, and Simpson Gumpertz & Heger recommend early applications with rolling or unspecified deadlines. Students should begin preparing materials in the fall and prioritize December and January deadline programs well before the spring semester.

Internships can be an excellent way to gain professional experience, explore potential career paths, and apply what you learn in college to practical settings. These opportunities allow you to work alongside professionals, develop industry-specific skills, and deepen your understanding of how organizations operate across fields such as technology, healthcare, engineering, finance, government, and research. They can also help you expand your professional network and clarify yo

Find social media internships for college students to build skills in content, analytics, and digital strategy.

Explore public relations summer programs for high school students. Gain communication and media experience to prepare for future careers.

This blog features 11 social media internships to boost your resume, gain experience, and prep for college applications.