10 Best Public Policy Programs for Middle School Students

Public policy programs aimed at middle school students are a good way for you to learn the role and impact of government policy on society. These programs cover the ways in which policies are developed. Through simulations and mock situations, you will develop your own public policies while enhancing your communication skills. A public policy program opens up avenues to various career pathways, including law, social welfare, politics, diplomacy, and more.

We have compiled a list of some of the best public policy programs that cover advanced academics and hands-on activities. These programs are rigorous and selective, boosting your profile. 

10 Best Public Policy Programs for Middle School Students

1. Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program

Location: Virtual

Cost: Varies; financial aid available

Dates: 8 weeks, start date varies according to cohort

Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort

Eligibility: Middle school students

As an ambitious middle schooler, a rigorous program like the Lumiere Junior Explorer Program may be a solid option to meet your goals. The program provides an opportunity for you to conduct independent research in a subject you are interested in, including public policy. During the program, you will receive guidance from PhD mentors from top universities like Harvard, Columbia, and MIT. This program allows you to gain specialized knowledge and field-specific skills. A research project can help boost your profile and college applications.

2. Camp O’Connor USA

Location: Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law

Cost/Stipend: None

Dates: To be announced

Application Deadline: To be announced

Eligibility: Students in Grades 7–8

Camp O’Connor USA is a merit-based summer program designed to help you learn leadership and civics. Civics education involves learning about democracy, government, and your duties as a citizen, aspects which are crucial for understanding public policy. You will develop leadership skills and prepare to take up leadership roles in your school and community. The camp is scheduled according to specific days and themes that delve into different aspects of governance, such as Executive Branch Day; Legislative Branch Day, which includes debating and voting on a proposed bill; Citizenship Day; and so on. On the last day, you will participate in a mock political convention where you will also hear from a community leader. The camp blends theory with hands-on practice to provide a holistic experience. 

3. Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers

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

Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers is an intensive virtual program for middle schoolers. You can gain interdisciplinary knowledge by learning the fundamentals of AI and machine learning. The course covers a range of topics like Python, data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. For the practical component, you will develop a project based on what you learned during the program. Consider solving a public issue or executing public policy for community benefit using AI and machine learning.

4. Johns Hopkins CTY’s Model UN: Global Health Policy

Location: Online

Cost: $1,365 + $15 application fee; financial aid available

Dates: January 27 – March 10 or March 24 – May 5

Application Deadline:

• December 15 for courses starting the week of January 26

• February 17 for courses starting the week of March 23

Eligibility: Students in Grades 5–6 with CTY-level verbal scores

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, nations around the world are increasingly concerned about managing global health. This Model UN simulation allows you to explore global health policy using historical case studies. You will understand the social, economic, and political dimensions of health policy. You will negotiate strategies and draft policy resolutions to solve health challenges. The program helps you understand international relations as well as policy measures. Through debates and discussions, you develop communication and critical thinking skills.

5. Public Speaking, Argumentative Writing, and Civic Leadership Camp

Location: Lesley University, Boston, MA

Cost: $300 (one week) or $500 (two weeks); need-based scholarships available

Dates: July 6–10 and July 13–17

Application Deadline: On a rolling basis

Eligibility: Students in Grades 5–10

This camp, offered by Leaders 4SC, is for middle schoolers to hone their proficiency in communication and become better leaders. The camp aims to help you become a civic leader and actively contribute to your community. Each week, you will complete a spoken or written assignment on a current issue you are passionate about. You will also participate in discussions. Task force activities involve role playing as decision makers and stakeholders, which will help you understand how policies are developed and their impact.

6. The National Civics Bee

Location: Varies by competition; finals are held in Washington, D.C.

Cost: None

Dates: Regionals (late March – late May), State finals (early June – July), and National Championship (Fall)

Application Deadline: February 3

Eligibility: Students in Grades 6–8 from participating states

The National Civics Bee is an option for you to enhance and test your knowledge of American democracy in a competitive setting. Moving through regionals and states to the national championship, you will meet like-minded students interested in policy, citizenship, and leadership. The competition is also a way for you to sharpen your written and oral communication skills. The initial application requires proposing ideas to improve your community. Competing at the national championship is a chance for you to earn prizes.

7. The Civics Spark Camp

Location: Youngstown, OH

Cost/Stipend: None

Dates: 5 days in the summer

Application Deadline: To be announced

Eligibility: Students in Grades 5–8

The Civics Spark Camp is a free camp for middle schoolers. In this program, explore American civics while practicing public speaking. Understanding public policy requires learning about the government and how it functions to solve a range of issues. You will also debate with other participants to learn critical thinking, persuasion, and advocacy. The program is run by other students who are high school debaters. Thus, you will emerge as a community leader who inspires change.

8. NSLC’s Government & Law

Location: UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

Cost: $1,465; financial aid available

Dates:

• Session 1: June 23–27

• Session 2: July 7–11

• Session 4: July 21–25

Application Deadline:

• June 15 (Session 1)

• June 29 (Sessions 2, 3, and 4)

Eligibility: Rising 7th–9th graders

Through NSLC’s 6-day program, you can delve into American government and law. You will discover how policies and law affect society. Role playing as lawyers and policymakers, you will debate on contemporary issues, draft proposals, and experience how leadership can benefit society. Simulations of federalism and the supreme court teach you about the division of power and the legal system, respectively. In the community build component, you will work in groups to build a community using the available resources. Field trips to historical landmarks and museums are part of the schedule. 

9. Sounds of New York City

Location: New York City, NY

Cost/Stipend: None

Dates: To be announced

Application Deadline: To be announced

Eligibility: Rising 7th and 8th graders who are NYC residents

Sounds of New York City by NYU blends urban policy with engineering. You will study sound waves and noise pollution and build sound monitoring devices. Studying sound waves in local communities and how pollution affects human health, you will delve into quality-of-life issues for urban dwellers in NYC. You will learn coding and electronics to create smart city technology that addresses and solves these issues. This project will be presented at the culminating expo. You also benefit from theatre-based communication training. 

10. EXPLO 360°

Location: Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA

Cost: $6,295 (overnight) or $4,045 (day); financial aid may be available

Dates:

• Session 1: June 28 – July 11 (overnight) or June 29 – July 10 (day)

• Session 2: July 12 – July 25 (overnight) or July 13 – July 24 (day)

Application Deadline: To be announced

Eligibility: Rising 7th–9th graders

EXPLO 360° allows you to design your own curriculum based on your interests. You can explore diverse subjects and learn new skills. You pick two workshops and two electives in the program. Workshops are collaborative, project-based components, whereas electives focused and skill-based. If you are interested in public policy, you can opt for the government simulation workshop. In this track, you create a government, laws, economic systems, and a constitution from scratch for a fictional society. You will learn to manage resources to provide citizens with housing, infrastructure, and security. In this manner, you will explore how policies are developed for citizens.

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.

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