Middle schoolers in Chicago who are passionate about biology can explore the subject this summer. Participating in summer programs accelerates your learning of a particular subject and equips you with field-specific skills. These programs also provide networking opportunities through interactions with industry professionals and faculty. 

The rigorous curriculum prepares you for advanced academics in the future. You collaborate with like-minded peers on hands-on activities, thereby building teamwork skills. If you’re looking to learn about biology, here are some summer programs you can look into.

1. Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective

Location: Virtual

Cost: Varies; financial aid available

Dates: 8 weeks, varies by cohort

Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort

Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 8

Students who want to conduct hands-on biology research can opt for Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program. You are paired with PhD mentors from prestigious universities, such as Harvard, Oxford, MIT, and Princeton, who are biology experts. The program enables you to gain specialized knowledge through research. During the program, you learn how to read and interpret academic literature, build research questions, and create outputs such as a high school-level research paper or case study, which enables you to build crucial skills. Feedback and writing coaching sessions polish your communication and presentation skills. You can opt for the Junior Research and Publication Program, where you can publish your research in academic journals.

2. Kids Science Lab’s Body Builders: Systems that keep us alive!

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective

Location: Chicago North Shore, IL

Cost: Varies by duration

Dates: June 8 – 12, July 6 – 12, or August 3 – 7

Application Deadline: On a rolling basis

Eligibility: Students aged 4 – 12

This STEM program in Chicago blends science and creativity. Students interested in biology can opt for the Body Builders: Systems that keep us alive! track. Here, you learn about the various functions that keep the human body working, including circulatory, digestive, respiratory, and more. You diagnose fictional patients, test body functions, and learn how doctors diagnose and treat diseases. The schedule includes theme days as well as outdoor time to make the camp a fun experience. This program is designed to spark your curiosity and build practical skills. By the end of the program, you complete a final project related to your chosen track.

3. Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Location: Virtual

Cost: Varies; financial aid available

Dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (on weekends) during the spring cohort and 25 hours over 2 weeks (on weekdays) during the summer cohort.

Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines

Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8

Students considering an interdisciplinary program may find that Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers program meets their requirements. You gain a fundamental understanding of AI and machine learning. The program covers a host of technology topics, including Python, data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. Once you have grasped the theory, you get to work on a practical project. This final project must solve a real-world biology challenge using technology. Past students have built a machine-learning model to classify music genres and a machine-learning algorithm to provide a custom list of educational resources based on selected specifications.

4. Chicago Botanic Garden’s Science First Program

Acceptance rate/cohort size: 40 (tentative)

Location: Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, IL

Cost/Stipend: None

Dates: 3 – 4 weeks in the summer

Application Deadline: April 15

Eligibility: Rising 7th – 10th graders

This program is for nature and botany enthusiasts. Over 3 weeks, students partake in hands-on activities, nature walks, and science experiments. The course covers a curriculum on plants, animals, and the environment. Practical activities combine learning with fun as you go kayaking, building your own aquaponics system, and so on. Lunch is provided during the program. You can also choose to return as a rising 9th and 10th grader to conduct original scientific research and learn lab techniques.

5. Northwestern CTD’s Comparative Anatomy

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective

Location: Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

Cost: $3,025 (tuition) + $2,405 (residential fee) + $150 (lab fee)

Dates: June 28 – July 17

Application Deadline: One week before the start date

Eligibility: Students entering grades 6 – 8 who meet the Indigo-tier criteria

This program by Northwestern’s CTD provides a glimpse of animal and human anatomy. You compare various species through hands-on activities, including dissections. You examine large and microscopic organisms and apply the methods to conduct original biology research. The program also teaches you about the human body and how diseases affect it. This course prepares you for advanced topics in anatomy and biology. Northwestern CTD’s courses are designed for ambitious students, so you can expect the curriculum to be challenging.

6. Summer Adventures at Science & Arts Academy

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Location: Science and Arts Academy, Des Plaines, IL

Cost/Stipend: Ranges from $625 – $1,200

Dates: June 15 – 26 (session 1), June 29 – July 10 (session 2), or July 13 – 24 (session 3)

Application Deadline: June 1

Eligibility: Students in grades 1 – 8

Middle schoolers can opt for this summer enrichment day camp. Experienced instructors and counselors foster holistic growth in terms of intellectual, artistic, physical, social, emotional, and creative aspects. Students interested in biology can opt for Mini Med School. This track covers anatomy, the five senses, and simple medical tools through hands-on labs. Practical projects require you to design stethoscopes, test reflexes, and create models of organs. After the morning lectures, you participate in fun enrichment activities in the afternoons, which help you build collaboration and leadership skills. Classes are grouped according to grade bands. 

7. Johns Hopkins CTY’s Be the Doctor: Dilemmas, Diseases, and Diagnoses

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Location: Virtual

Cost: $1,365 – $1,420

Dates: June 17 – July 22 (Summer A) or July 14 – August 18 (Summer B)

Application Deadline: May 22 (Summer A) or June 8 (Summer B)

Eligibility: Students in grades 7 – 11 who meet CTY-level quantitative or verbal scores

This program is for students curious about biology, medicine, and healthcare. You learn how doctors manage and face life-changing decisions while treating patients. The program introduces you to the anatomy and physiology of various body systems, such as gastroenterology, endocrinology, nephrology, and microbiology. You delve into methods of diagnosis and treatment for different diseases and disorders as well as medical ethics. For practical activities, you role play as doctors to examine and treat diseases in groups. In addition, you receive the opportunity to conduct research and develop your own case study. 

8. Georgetown University’s Anatomy & Physiology: How the Body Works in Harmony

Location: Online

Cost: $1,895; scholarships are available

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Dates: Various sessions of different lengths are available

Application Deadline: Varies according to session

Eligibility: Students aged 13 and older

This program by Georgetown University explores medicine and evidence-based research. Examining the major organs and systems of the human body, you learn about the musculoskeletal, nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and gastrointestinal systems. The course covers a range of educational videos that teach you dissection and other processes. Interactions with professionals introduce you to careers in medicine, research, forensic science, and more. For the capstone project, you design an informational pamphlet for students undergoing treatment for diabetes. 

9. Dartmouth’s Biology: Transforming the Future of Science

Location: Online

Cost: $1,895; scholarships are available

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Dates: Various sessions of different lengths are available

Application Deadline: Varies according to session

Eligibility: Students aged 13 and older

This comprehensive program on biology brings you to the crossroads of science and technology. You learn how systems biology revolutionizes our understanding of genes, proteins, and cellular interactions. The course is an introduction to biology and biotechnology. You delve into data analysis, immune systems, and drug development in the context of technological developments. As you develop your final project, you apply systems biology concepts to analyze real-world challenges in areas like medicine, drug discovery, or aging research.

10. Rice University’s Physiology: The Foundations of Medicine

Location: Online

Cost: $1,795; scholarships are available

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Dates: Various sessions of different lengths are available

Application Deadline: Varies according to session

Eligibility: Students aged 13 and older

If you want to learn about the human body and its functioning, this program may meet your requirements. You receive in-depth instruction in the nervous, muscular, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems and how they work in harmony. You understand the role of mechanical properties in the smooth functioning of these body systems. Experienced physicians provide insights into their career trajectories. The culminating project requires you to build models that showcase the physiological properties of the body’s healthy and pathological organs and systems.

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.