15 Programs for Middle School Students in Alabama
- Stephen Turban
- 3 hours ago
- 10 min read
If you’re a middle school student thinking about exploring new subjects, a program can help you do that. By participating in a program for middle schoolers, you’ll get early exposure to advanced academic fields and develop essential study skills that will be useful in the future. You will learn how to think critically, manage your time, and work through challenges in a guided setting. Early exposure like this helps you identify your interests and build confidence before academic expectations increase in high school.
What programs are available for middle schoolers in Alabama?
Alabama has a range of opportunities for middle schoolers throughout the year. Programs are offered through colleges, museums, and community centers. These give you access to basic tools, guided activities, and teamwork opportunities. You will gain academic experience that can help you stand out if you apply to selective high schools. Staying local is also a smart choice if you want to keep travel costs low.
With that, here are 15 programs for middle school students in Alabama!
15 Programs for Middle School Students in Alabama
Location: Franchise centers across the U.S.
Cost: Often free to schools; costs vary widely by location
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; class sizes usually range from 8 to 16 students
Dates: Available year-round during the academic calendar; summer camps and holiday workshops are also offered
Application deadline: Varies by location and program; early registration recommended
Eligibility: Students ages 4–14; grouped by age for appropriate curriculum
This program for middle school students in Alabama introduces you to engineering and technology through practical, design-centered activities that mirror the engineering process. Depending on the session, you might build rockets, test bridges, or program simple robots while learning how to brainstorm, prototype, and refine your ideas based on results. Many classes include technology-focused modules where students experiment with 3D modeling, beginner coding tools, or simple game design software. Some courses use themed environments such as Minecraft to explore sustainability, city planning, or environmental engineering concepts in an accessible way.
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies depending on program. Financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application deadline: Multiple rolling deadlines for JEP cohorts across the year; you can apply using this application link! If you'd like to take a look at the cohorts + deadlines, you can refer to this.
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8
Lumiere’s Junior Explorer program provides research-focused enrichment programs for middle school students throughout the year, including in the fall. You will work 1-on-1 under the guidance of a Ph.D.-level mentor exploring a specific STEM field. The program offers various tracks, including medicine, biology, neuroscience, computer science, and physics. You will start with a deep dive into your chosen field, learning about advanced sub-topics related to your interests. Then, you will design and complete a research project on a topic of your choice, focusing on tackling a real-world question in the field and producing a scientific research paper.
Location: Remote and in-person options available across the U.S. and internationally
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open to all; no selection process
Dates: Ongoing during the school year; clubs typically meet 1–2 hours per week after school or on weekends
Application deadline: Rolling; students join through their local school or community club
Eligibility: Open to students in grades 3–12; no prior coding experience required
Girls Who Code Clubs are free spaces where you learn computer science in a small community at a school, library, or online. Each meeting walks you through basic coding in blocks or text, based on what you already know. As you pick up new skills, you move into web work, simple games, or small Python or JavaScript projects, with a facilitator guiding you when you get stuck. The club runs on teamwork, so you often build things with others and solve problems together. Some chapters also teach simple AI ideas and show how common systems work in daily life.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program
Application deadline: Rolling deadlines. You can apply to the program here.
Program dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (on weekends) during the spring cohort and 25 hours over 2 weeks (on weekdays) during the summer cohort.
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-8
AI Trailblazers is a 25-hour online program that introduces middle school students to foundational artificial intelligence and programming concepts through a mix of live instruction and hands-on coding. Participants start with Python basics and gradually move into topics like data analysis, regression, and image classification to understand how AI systems process information. Small-group sessions with about three to five students allow you to ask questions directly and receive feedback on your work from a mentor. Projects involve working with real datasets, giving you early exposure to the kinds of problems machine learning tools aim to solve. By the end of the program, you will have completed a small-scale project that demonstrates your understanding of AI.
5. 4-H Programs
Location: Nationwide (organized by local county extension offices)
Cost: Typically free or low-cost; some events or projects may have fees
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; club sizes vary by county
Dates: Available year-round
Application deadline: Rolling; sign up through your local 4-H office or extension website
Eligibility: Youth aged 5-18 with some state-specific variations; full participation begins at age 8, with Cloverbud programs for ages 5–7
4-H Programs in Alabama give you practical learning in STEM, farming, the environment, and civic life through local clubs supported by the university system. You meet each week or every other week and work on projects that follow clear learning paths set by extension educators. Your work depends on what you enjoy. You might build robots, study nearby ecosystems, practice public speaking, or take part in healthy living activities. Trained volunteers lead each club and guide you through the work while helping you grow your leadership and teamwork skills. Many students share their finished projects at county or state fairs.
Location: University of Alabama, Huntsville
Cost: Varies by camp; scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Multiple programs throughout June and July
Application deadline: Opens in February
Eligibility: Students in grades 5 through 10
The University of Alabama in Huntsville runs summer day camps for students in grades 5 to 10. The camps use classroom work, projects, and lab tours to show you different parts of engineering. Each camp has its own plan for each age group, and as you move up in grade, you take on harder design work. During the middle school program, you work with UAH faculty, staff, and engineering students who guide activities and show how engineers use science and technology to solve problems. You explore areas like structural design, energy systems, and electronics while building teamwork and communication. The full-day sessions include mentoring and end with a project that brings your work from the week into one final build.
Location: Nationwide; finalists travel to Washington, D.C. for finals
Cost: Free to enter via nomination from an affiliated science fair
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Top 300 projects selected nationally; 30 finalists
Dates: Finals week held in fall; dates vary annually
Application deadline: Students must be nominated between February and June through an affiliated science fair
Eligibility: U.S. students in grades 6–8 who are nominated by a Society-affiliated science fair
The Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge is a national competition for middle school students who complete their own science or engineering projects at a fair linked to the Society. To take part, you need to place in the top 10 percent at your fair. After that, you submit an application that explains your methods and the science behind your work. From all entries, 300 students are chosen for national recognition, and 30 are invited to Washington, D.C., for several days of team challenges and project sessions. Finalists meet judges, share their research, and take part in hands-on STEM work. The competition offers several prizes, including the ASCEND Award of $25000, one of the largest STEM honors for this age group in the country.
Location: Offered through participating schools and educators
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open to all students at participating schools; not selective
Dates: Varies by school or district; can run for several weeks or a full semester.
Application deadline: No formal application; students participate through their school.
Eligibility: Students in grades 8–12; typically offered in math, science, or computer science classes
Bootstrap’s Data Science Course teaches you the basics of data work by mixing coding with school subjects like math, science, and social studies. Classroom teachers lead the course after training and guide you through lessons on reading datasets, finding patterns, and making simple charts. You write short pieces of code to study real information from sports, civic life, or the environment. Each unit shows how people build arguments with data and helps you see what claims are supported by evidence and what claims are not.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; approximately 12 students per cohort
Dates: Three-week summer course (July) followed by weekly online meetings from mid-August through December.
Application deadline: March 25
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-7 from low-income families (household income under $90,000 annually) who reside in and attend school in the United States; minimum B-grade average required
The Stanford Middle School Scholars Program is a free hybrid program for students from low-income families who show strong academic ability. It starts with a three-week virtual summer class taught by Stanford instructors in subjects like math, philosophy, political theory, or media literacy. From August to December, you join weekly online sessions after school that cover writing, study habits, mindset, and preparation for competitive high school admissions. Classes run in small groups so you can talk, ask questions, and get direct feedback from instructors. Families stay involved through check-ins and meetings that help them support your progress.
Location: University of South Alabama–School of Computing
Cost: $200
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Minimum 10 participants each camp
Dates: June 22 – 26
Application deadline: One week before camp starts
Eligibility: Open to 4th–12th graders
Summer camps run by the University of South Alabama give you a way to learn key aspects of computing through practical work. You spend your time on projects in programming, software development, cybersecurity, and basic computer use. You do not need any experience to join. The sessions take place at Shelby Hall, where you use university labs during day camps. The PACK Camp focuses on programming basics and uses Python and other simple tools to teach problem-solving and clear thinking.
Location: Huntsville, Alabama
Cost: Starts from $1,899
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Multiple options around the year
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students ages 12–14
The Space Academy at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center introduces middle school students to astronaut-style training paired with lessons in space science and engineering. Trainees take part in mission simulations to destinations like the International Space Station, the moon, or Mars, practicing communication and teamwork in realistic scenarios. Hands-on engineering tasks include designing rockets, constructing thermal protection systems, and completing group challenges that mirror the problem-solving demands of real missions. Students also train on devices such as the Multi-Axis Trainer and 1/6th Gravity Chair to understand how astronauts experience motion and reduced gravity. The program for middle school students in Alabama incorporates aquatic and challenge course activities that reinforce leadership and collaboration. Throughout the week, instructors connect the activities to current aerospace research and space exploration efforts.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by course; typical online courses range from $395-$1,500. Financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer sessions
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students in grades 3 – 8 who meet one of the academic criteria outlined on the website
Northwestern University’s Center for Talent Development Online Enrichment program gives you a way to study advanced or mixed subjects through flexible virtual courses. You follow weekly assignments, get notes from an instructor, and use pacing guides to handle the two to five hours of work each week. Courses cover robotics, programming, creative writing, philosophy, and aerospace topics, letting you study material that goes beyond school. Each course includes two live online sessions where you talk, work with peers, and solve problems together. At the end of the program, you receive a written review that sums up your progress and strengths.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by course; Financial aid offered
Acceptance rate: No information available
Dates: Available year-round
Application deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Middle school students
Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) offers online courses that give advanced middle school students the chance to study subjects not typically offered at their grade level. The program includes both self-paced and live formats covering fields such as astronomy, engineering, computer science, mathematics, creative writing, and history. You might work through topics like space exploration, environmental design, or number theory while completing structured assignments and receiving detailed instructor feedback. Many courses include discussion boards or live meetings that encourage interaction with classmates who share similar academic interests.
Location: Remote
Cost: $1,895
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Multi-length courses available, details here
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students aged 13 and above
Dartmouth University’s Regenerative Medicine Course introduces you to the science of repairing or replacing human tissues and organs. You learn through virtual lectures and case studies that cover stem cells, tissue engineering, biomaterials, and 3D bioprinting. The program for middle school students in Alabama links these ideas to real medical problems, such as organ shortages, wound repair, and long-term illness. You also study the ethical and social questions that come with new biomedical tools, showing how science connects to policy and patient care. Near the end of the course, you complete a capstone project that uses the principles you learned. Students who finish the course earn a certificate from Dartmouth University.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,795
Acceptance rate: Not selective
Dates: Multi-length courses available between December and February, details here
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students aged 13 and above
Foundations of Medicine: Physiology gives you a clear look at how the body’s major organ systems work together. The course covers the nervous, muscular, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems and shows how neurons send signals, how muscles contract, and how blood flow is controlled. You study ideas like electrical signaling, flow and resistance, and gas exchange, often through medical examples from physicians. Lessons show how problems in these systems lead to health conditions and connect physiology to clinical work and research. The course also uses simple scientific laws, such as Boyle’s Law, to show the physics behind breathing and circulation. Students earn a certificate from Rice University after completing all modules.
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 in which students work one-on-one with a mentor to develop an independent research paper.
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