14 Programs for Middle School Students in Hawaii
- Stephen Turban
- 5 hours ago
- 9 min read
If you want to try something new that goes beyond your regular classes, academic and enrichment programs for middle schoolers can be a smart choice. These programs focus on learning by doing, giving you the chance to explore subjects like science, art, technology, culture, and writing through projects and guided activities. They also help you develop skills that will be useful in high school and beyond.
Why should you attend a middle school program in Hawaii?
Hawaii offers a wide range of programs for middle schoolers led by schools, universities, and community groups. You can take part in environmental studies, cultural learning, creative activities, or introductory technology projects. With support from experienced instructors, you will learn through practical work in settings that feel connected to everyday life in Hawaii.
To make your search easier, we’ve put together a list of 14 programs for middle school students in Hawaii!
14 Programs for Middle School Students in Hawaii
Location: 44+ college campuses across 26 states, with Hawaii sites including Kauai Community College and Maui College
Cost: Free (fully funded)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 6,500 students across 44 locations (average 148 per site)
Dates: Typically 3-4 weeks in summer (e.g., June-July)
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary by local host
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8 can apply
Verizon Innovative Learning STEM Achievers is a fully funded STEM program for middle school students. The program takes place on campuses of the University of Hawaiʻi and is part of Verizon Innovative Learning. You will work in teams on projects that introduce you to robotics, coding, design thinking, and problem-solving. Activities are guided by university faculty and industry mentors and are often connected to real community challenges. The experience ends with a project presentation where you explain your work and process.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies according to the program type; full financial aid is available
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, 8 weeks
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program is a structured academic program for middle school students where you explore one subject area with support from a personal mentor. The program is run by Lumiere Education, and mentors are researchers and scholars from universities such as Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale, Duke, and LSE. You choose a track based on your interests, including options focused on coding and computational thinking. In these tracks, you learn core programming concepts and apply them to build tools like small apps, simulations, or digital projects. The program is paced and individualized, with regular mentor guidance. It ends with a final project where you complete and present a finished piece based on what you learned.
Location: University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; size varies per session (e.g., small groups for hands-on labs)
Dates: Typically weeklong in June
Application Deadline: Varies; often school-nominated with spring deadlines
Eligibility: Open to students in grades 6–8 from Oʻahu public schools
Gene-ius Day is a hands-on STEM enrichment program for middle school students hosted at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. The program introduces you to laboratory-based science through themed workshops in areas such as biology, forensics, and experimental research. You work in small groups with university researchers and educators, focusing on inquiry-based activities rather than lectures. Sessions are designed to build scientific thinking and familiarity with lab environments. The program offers early exposure to university-level science settings and is one of the few in-person lab programs for middle school students in Hawaii.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on the program type; need-based financial aid is 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
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8
Veritas AI’s Trailblazers program gives middle school students an early foundation in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Over about 25 hours of guided learning, you’ll work through Python basics and begin exploring topics like data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and the ethical questions surrounding AI. The program blends live instruction with small-group sessions, and the 5:1 student-to-mentor ratio ensures plenty of individual support. Previous cohorts have created projects ranging from models that sort music by genre to tools that recommend customized educational content.
Location: Across Maui County schools
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: Typically in May
Application Deadline: Late Spring
Eligibility: Students in grades 7–8 from Maui County schools
Camp Kauwela is a free, hands-on STEM day program for middle school students run by STEMworks Hawaii under the Maui Economic Development Board. You will take part in project-based activities that connect science and technology with Hawaiian stories and the land. Through hands-on labs and teamwork, you explore concepts in engineering, robotics, and design while also learning about the natural and cultural environment of Hawai‘i. You will finish by presenting what they built or investigated and reflecting on how science and technology can be used to explore community-based challenges.
Location: Kapolei, Oʻahu, HI
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Mission teams typically have 12-18 students per simulation
Dates: Scheduled by school groups during the academic year
Application Deadline: School-based
Eligibility: 6th grade: Rendezvous with Comet Halley; 7-8th: Return to the Moon
Challenger Center Hawaiʻi is a hands-on STEM program where you take part in simulated space missions. You will work in teams to solve problems and make decisions as part of a mission, such as launching a spacecraft or completing a space rendezvous. You rotate through different mission roles and apply math, science, and communication skills in real time. The focus is on teamwork, problem-solving, and decision-making rather than lectures.
Location: UH Mānoa and partner campuses, Hawaiʻi
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited
Dates: Typically from June to July
Application Deadline: Varies by component (e.g., Feb for internships, Dec for some tracks)
Eligibility: Open to students in grades 7–12. Preference given to Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Filipino students
Project Hōkūlani is a year-long STEM program run through the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa for middle and high school students in Hawaiʻi. You use the program to explore STEM fields through hands-on activities, mentoring, and real-world experience. You will take part in academic enrichment activities in areas like computer science, astronomy, sustainability, and health science. You also receive mentoring from STEM professionals and support with college planning, including guidance on majors and scholarships. Some students participate in STEM internships to gain work experience in their community.
Location: Multiple Hawaiʻi DOE campuses (Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi Island)
Cost: Free (fully funded by NSA & NSF)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited; competitive selection
Dates: Virtual pre-camp: May 10; In-person: Various June weeks by island
Application Deadline: Typically Late April to Mid-May
Eligibility: Grades 6–12
GenCyber is a free summer cybersecurity education program for middle school students, supported by federal funding from agencies including the National Security Agency (NSA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). It is designed to introduce you to core concepts in cybersecurity and digital safety in a hands-on way. You attend a GenCyber camp hosted at a university or partner site, where you learn basic cybersecurity ideas such as secure behavior online, privacy, and foundational protective practices. Some camps also include introductory work with tools, encryption basics, and simple coding or logic puzzles tied to real cybersecurity problems.
Location: One Ohana Nui Way, Honolulu, HI (K-8 campus)
Cost: $1,525 (5-week program)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; small class sizes with developmental grouping
Dates: June 15 – July 16 (5 weeks)
Application Deadline: Registration opens in March; closes when classes fill
Eligibility: Grades K–8 (middle school students placed in developmentally appropriate classrooms)
The Academic Summer School at Assets School is a half-day summer program for students who are gifted or have language-based learning differences. The program follows the same approach used during the school year, with structured, multi-sensory instruction. You receive focused support in reading, writing, and math, along with theme-based lessons that connect different subjects. Middle school students also take part in enrichment classes that build on individual strengths. Teaching is done in small groups, with teachers guiding your learning rather than lecturing.
Location: Makiki campus, Honolulu, HI
Cost: Varies by session; typically $300–400 per week
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited to 15–20 students per week for quality outdoor education
Dates: Weekly sessions during summer break (June–July)
Application Deadline: Rolling registration; early bird rates available until April 30
Eligibility: Ages 6–11 (middle school students ages 11 qualify for advanced sessions)
Hawaiʻi Nature Center’s Nature Adventure Camps are week-long summer camps for middle school students that focus on outdoor, hands-on environmental learning. You will spend your days outside, without screens, taking part in activities like hiking, fishing, bug observation, nature games, and simple science-based crafts. Each week follows a specific theme tied to natural history, environmental science, or sustainability. When conditions allow, you go on field trips to places like tide pools and wetlands to study Hawaiʻi’s ecosystems up close. The program is led by environmental educators who guide you through observation and basic data collection suited to middle school students.
Location: 1601 Punahou Street, Honolulu, HI
Cost: Varies by course; approximately $500–800 per session
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; priority given to current Punahou students; limited community spots
Dates: June 15 – July 17 (core session); June 8–12 (early session); July 20–24 (extended session)
Application Deadline: Registration opens in February; community applications due by March 15
Eligibility: Grades 1–8 (specific middle school tracks for grades 6–8)
Punahou School’s Summer Programs offer middle school tracks for students entering grades 6–8. You choose from a range of courses designed to help you explore new subjects while preparing for the academic pace of middle school. You can take classes in STEM, arts, humanities, or athletics, depending on your interests. Courses often use project-based learning and group work, which helps you practice problem-solving and critical thinking. Options may include robotics, creative writing, math support, and Hawaiian studies.
Location: 4470 Aliikoa Street, Honolulu, HI
Cost: Typically $525 per class
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 20–25 students per grade level cohort
Dates: June 9 – July 25; Two-week sessions with morning and afternoon blocks
Application Deadline: May 1 for priority registration
Eligibility: Grades 6–8 (specific middle school programs)
Star of the Sea Summer Academy offers the Rising Stars English Odyssey program for students in grades 6–8 who are English Language Learners. You will focus on improving your English skills through daily activities that support reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Classes use grade-appropriate academic content with language scaffolding and visual support to help you follow lessons and participate confidently. If you are preparing to apply to competitive secondary schools, the program also includes SSAT Upper Level preparation, with practice focused on content review and test-taking strategies.
Location: 65-1692 Kohala Mountain Road, Kamuela, HI 96743 (Big Island)
Cost: $3,500–4,500 for residential; $1,800–2,200 for day students (4-week program)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; approximately 15–20 students per academy
Dates: June 22–July 17 (4-week academies)
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: Ages 11–17 (entering grades 6–12); open to all Hawaii residents and international students
Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy’s Summer Programs offer several focused academies for students entering grades 6–8. You choose an academy based on your interests and spend the summer learning through practical work and outdoor activities. If you enroll in the Robotics Academy, you learn engineering design and programming using VEX and LEGO Mindstorms. The Arts Academy focuses on visual arts, music, and performing arts, with lessons connected to Hawaiian culture. The Hawaiian Style Academy introduces you to traditional practices such as voyaging, agriculture, and the Hawaiian language. In the Marine Explorations Academy, you study oceanography, marine biology, and conservation through field-based projects.
Location: Pukalani, HI 96768 (Maui campus)
Cost: Free for KS Maui students; community students pay $500–700 per course
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Priority to KS Maui students; limited community spots available
Dates: June 9 – July 18 (6-week session)
Application Deadline: Typically in February
Eligibility: Grades K–8 (middle school students entering grades 6–8); preference given to students of Native Hawaiian ancestry
Kamehameha Schools Maui Summer School offers the Māhele Lalo (Lower Division) program for students entering grades 6–8. The program is run by Kamehameha Schools Maui and combines STEM learning with Hawaiian culture through the Kaʻāinamāhuahua initiative. You learn through project-based activities that connect science, technology, engineering, and math with traditional Hawaiian knowledge. Much of the learning is ʻāina-based, meaning you work outdoors caring for native plants, ecosystems, and food systems while learning how modern science supports conservation and sustainability. The program also strengthens core academic skills in reading, writing, and math.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD 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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