13 Summer Programs for Middle School Students in Atlanta
- Stephen Turban
- Aug 5
- 8 min read
Updated: Oct 14
If you are a middle schooler in Atlanta looking for a way to make the most of your summer break, then a program in your area of interest is worth exploring!
Summer programs offer middle schoolers opportunities to explore new interests, build key soft and technical skills, and connect with like-minded peers. Designed to help you indulge your curiosity and define your academic interests, these programs provide supportive experiences that balance learning with exploration. Here, you will also find opportunities to sharpen creativity, critical thinking, and communication skills.
Additionally, these programs often combine classroom-based instruction with outdoor activities, lab work, or collaborative challenges to help you have a meaningful yet fun summer experience. Many of these programs are hosted by the city’s well-known universities, museums, and community spaces.
To help you choose the right option, here are 13 summer programs for middle school students in Atlanta.
Cost: Varies; need-based financial aid available
Location: Virtual
Dates: Summer cohorts begin in June/July and run for eight weeks
Application deadline: June 23
Eligibility: Middle school students with strong academic backgrounds
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program is a research-based experience for middle school students interested in exploring a subject area in detail. During the program, you will work with Ph.D.-level mentors from leading universities to develop independent research projects based on your interests. You can choose from STEM fields, social sciences, business, and various other disciplines and pick a topic for your project, which could be a research report, presentation, or anything else that reflects your skills and knowledge. This experience can help you sharpen your critical thinking, scientific inquiry, and independent research skills and prepare for academic competitions and research opportunities. You can apply here.
Cost: $440–$550/week; scholarships available
Location: Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Dates: June 23 – July 25
Application Deadline: Rolling until sessions are full
Eligibility: Rising 6th–8th grade students
CEISMC’s Summer P.E.A.K.S. (Programs for Enrichment and Accelerated Knowledge in STEAM) is a weeklong, in-person summer program for middle school students in Atlanta hosted at Georgia Tech. Each P.E.A.K.S. session offers access to hands-on workshops, allowing you to explore an area of interest, such as robotics, chemistry, AI, 3D printing, game development, or music production. Here, you will work in grade-level groups on real-world projects led by Georgia Tech faculty, graduate students, and local educators. The program focuses on experiential learning and offers opportunities to develop creative problem-solving through structured, age-appropriate instruction. You can attend multiple sessions across the summer to explore multiple disciplines or interests.
Cost: Varies; financial assistance available
Location: Online
Dates: 25 hours over two weeks on weekdays
Application deadline: Rolling deadlines
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 8
The AI Trailblazers is a virtual program that allows middle school students to explore the fundamentals of machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI). As a participant, you will learn the basics of Python, AI ethics, data analysis, image classification, regression, and neural networks. You will attend lectures and group sessions conducted in a 5:1 student-to-mentor ratio. Project work is also part of the experience. Previous projects have included building machine-learning models and algorithms to classify music genres and provide a customized list of educational resources. You can apply here.
Cost: $330 (members) | $380 (non-members); extended care $100/week
Location: Fernbank Museum, Atlanta, GA
Dates: June 23 – June 27
Application deadline: Registration opens on January 20 (for members) and January 27 (non-members); window closes when the camp is full
Eligibility: Students, ages 10–12
Ranger Camp offers a nature-focused summer experience for campers ages 10–12 at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta. Set in Fernbank’s 65-acre old-growth forest, the program emphasizes ecological awareness, biodiversity, and natural science through guided outdoor activities. Campers explore topics like geology, forest habitats, and conservation while developing observational and analytical skills. The camp provides a balance of environmental education and outdoor exploration, with most activities held in forest and trail environments. Sessions are led by Fernbank educators and are designed to inspire curiosity about Georgia’s native ecosystems.
Cost: Free
Location: Breakthrough Atlanta, Atlanta, GA
Dates: Six-week summer program (June–July); dates not specified
Application deadline: TBA; applications open in November
Eligibility: Students entering 7th–9th grade
Breakthrough Atlanta offers a tuition-free, six-year program that begins the summer before 7th grade and supports students through high school graduation. The High School Readiness component is a six-week summer program focused on academic subjects like English, math, science, and social studies, along with electives like photography, public speaking, and coding. You will continue engaging with the parent program during the school year through monthly “Super Saturday” sessions that focus on non-academic skills like study habits, goal setting, and learning styles. The goal is to help you stay on track in terms of academics and get the necessary support for future education.
Cost: Varies by camp
Location: Atlanta International School’s Buckhead and Sandy Springs campuses, Atlanta, GA
Dates: Multiple camps between June 2 and July 25
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students in rising four-year-old kindergarten to grade 10
If you're interested in exploring different cultures while learning new skills, the Atlanta International School Summer Camps give you a wide range of options to choose from. You can join language programs to explore French, Spanish, German, Chinese, or English and build communication skills through interactive lessons and cultural activities. Beyond languages, the camp offers over 90 themed options, including camps in filmmaking, robotics, athletics, design, and chess, all taking place across AIS’s Buckhead and Sandy Springs campuses. Many of these summer programs are project-based, so you will work individually or in small groups to create, solve problems, or design something new.
Cost: Free for APS students
Location: Multiple APS campuses in Atlanta, GA
Dates: June 2 – 27
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Current middle school students enrolled in Atlanta Public Schools (APS)
Atlanta Public Schools (APS) offers a free, four-week Power Up Summer program at multiple school campuses across the city. Here, you will engage in hands-on enrichment in a structured school-day format, supported by APS educators and staff. Several APS campuses serve as host sites, making the program widely accessible to families within the district. This summer program for middle school students in Atlanta blends academic intervention with extended learning activities and integrates social-emotional learning throughout the day. During the program, parents are also invited to participate in special family engagement activities.
Cost: Free
Location: Atlanta College and Career Academy, Atlanta, GA
Dates: June 9 – 13
Application deadline: March 29
Eligibility: Current 6th – 8th grade APS students
The Atlanta College and Career Academy’s Career Exposure Camp is a week-long enrichment program for middle schoolers interested in gaining early insights into various career paths. Here, you will gain exposure to high-demand, high-wage careers in the Metro-Atlanta area. The camp offers insights into pathways such as Culinary Arts, Criminal Investigations, Dental Science, Graphic Design, and Patient Care. You will also engage in sessions and activities to understand the importance of postsecondary education and lifelong learning for long-term success.
Cost: Starts $275/session
Location: Various locations across North Atlanta
Dates: Multiple camps between June and July
Application deadline: Unspecified
Eligibility: Students who are 4–14 years old
Engineering For Kids of North Atlanta runs themed summer camps that let you dive into real-world STEM challenges through hands-on experimentation and guided exploration. As a participant, you may design mechanical systems, program robots with LEGO Mindstorms or VEX kits, or use Minecraft to solve virtual engineering problems, depending on the camp you choose. Each session offers practical insights into how engineering concepts connect to the world around you. Projects often center around topics like aerospace engineering, environmental science, 3D modeling, and basic circuitry, encouraging you to think like a problem-solver while working in collaborative groups. Camps are designed to match your interests and skill level, allowing you to get a customized summer experience.
Cost: $400 for APS students; $600 for non-APS students; limited scholarships available
Location: The Bethune Building, Atlanta, GA
Dates: June 3 – 27
Application deadline: March 7
Eligibility: Rising 1st–8th-grade students who are gifted or high achievers residing in the metro Atlanta area
Xanadu is a four-week academic enrichment program designed for gifted and high-achieving rising 1st–8th grade students across the Atlanta metro area. Hosted by the APS Office of Gifted and Talented Education, the program offers hands-on courses in academics, fine arts, and athletics, with options like “Xtreme Xperiments” and community-focused projects like “IMPACT.” You will be placed in small, challenging classes that promote creativity, critical thinking, and advanced problem-solving. You will present your work to families and peers at a final showcase. Admission is selective and requires a teacher recommendation and supporting documentation. Breakfast and lunch are provided, and early drop-off and aftercare are available for an additional fee.
Cost: Free
Location: Various APS middle schools, Atlanta, GA
Dates: June 2 – 27
Application deadline: Not specified; you can contact your school counselor to learn more
Eligibility: Rising 7th–8th grade APS students invited to participate; you can reach out to your school counselor to be considered for the program
This four-week in-person summer program is meant for students with exceptional performance in mathematics. Here, you work with experienced math educators to master key standards from enhanced and accelerated math courses. The experience is designed to stretch student thinking and build readiness for more advanced coursework during the school year. You will also have the opportunity to collaborate with high-performing peers across the district, exchanging ideas and solving problems together. The program can help you build mathematical thinking and skills to excel in future honors or AP-level courses.
Cost: Starts at $175
Location: Various locations across Atlanta
Dates: Multiple camps in June
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students in grades 7 to 9
At Camp Invention’s Leaders-in-Training program, you will take on a mentorship role while developing your own leadership and teamwork skills. Designed for middle school students, this program places you in a counselor-like position where you guide younger campers (grades K–6) through hands-on STEM activities created by inventors and educators. While campers engage with creative problem-solving challenges in areas like engineering, design, and science, you will support their progress and manage small group dynamics. You will also receive leadership guidance from camp staff and program mentors. In the process, you will get to work on developing essential communication skills.
Cost: Returning campers and children of current Georgia Tech faculty, staff, and students: $300/week/child | Children of community members: $400/week/child
Location: Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Dates: Multiple camps between June 2 and July 24
Application deadline: Not specified, but registration for the Georgia Tech community and returning campers opens on January 15, and registration for the community opens on February 2
Eligibility: Rising 1st to 8th graders
Tech Wreck Summer Camp at Georgia Tech is a recreational program for elementary and middle school students. It combines structured play with themed activities and off-campus excursions to help foster curiosity and social engagement. As a participant, you will engage in organized games, scavenger hunts, and creative showcases like the camp talent show and explore local attractions like the Delta Flight Museum, Georgia Aquarium, and Fernbank Museum. Although a day camp, the program can offer you a glimpse into life on campus and the student environment at Georgia Tech. The camp activities can help you refine teamwork skills in a university setting.
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 research mentor to come up with an independent research paper.
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