How to get an internship in high school

To get an internship in high school, follow this guide:

Consider your interests

When trying to find an internship in high school, it is important to identify your interests. You want an internship program to be related to what you eventually go on to study in college or plan to do professionally after high school, if possible.

To help you do this, consider what classes you perform the best in and which ones you have genuine enthusiasm about. You can also talk with a teacher, guidance counselor, your parents or peers, to help you hone your skills, talents, and aspirations.

In addition, you can include interests in this decision that fall outside of the academic realm, such as video games and different kinds of art.

Use your high school as a resource

Many high schools have programs that can facilitate internships outside the high school. These can happen during school hours and represent credits in a particular class or happen during the summertime when school is out.

An example of this is a communications program at certain high schools obtaining internships for their students at a local news station or newspaper.

If you are not sure if your high school has programs like this, ask a teacher, guidance counselor, or administrator.

Consider national internship programs

National internship programs can be great opportunities because some of them are offered by prestigious organizations or companies. These can be virtual or in-person internships that will give significant weight to your resume.

Here is a list of some of the best national internship opportunities for high school students:

• Chegg Internships lists internship opportunities in a few major cities, like Atlanta, Austin, Boston, and Chicago.

• BRAINYAC is specified for Upper Manhattan and Bronx students. It connects them with Columbia University neuroscientists for summer internships involving research and works in labs.

• The Met High School Internship Program is available to students who live in or go to a high school in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut.

• The Microsoft Discovery Program is a paid internship opportunity for graduating high school seniors who live no further than 50 miles from the company's headquarters in Redmond, Washington.

• Smithsonian Internships, run by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., have a variety of internship programs for high school students at different Smithsonian museums.

• The Stanford Compression Forum Summer Internship offers high school students the opportunity to partake in multi-disciplinary research projects during the summer.

• The New York Historical Society's Student Historian Internship Program allows students entering their sophomore, junior, or senior year in high school to practice research.

• The Library of Congress offers a host of internships in different fields in and around Washington, D.C. However, only certain ones are available to high school students.

• Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh has internships available to high school students at its four museum locations.

• The Bank of America Student Leader Program connects juniors and seniors in high school with nonprofits in over 100 communities.

• NASA High School Internships offers internships to high school students where they conduct research and are privy to experiential learning at NASA locations in Maryland, New York, Virginia, and West Virginia

Write a high school resume

Though this is not a requirement, it is recommended. Writing a high school resume will allow you to practice writing resumes, something you will likely have to do a lot in the future.

• Any part-time jobs you have had.

• If you are on a specific track in high schools, such as communications or science.

• Your GPA

• If you are on the honor roll or any other academic achievement

• If you are on a high school sports team, especially if you are a captain

• Any clubs inside or outside of your high school that you are involved with

• If you are part of the student government of the high school, like a treasurer or student body president

How to apply for the internship

Applications for internships may vary depending on the company or organization, so it is best to research each one's process. However, here are the general steps that go into applying for most high school internships:

• Include your name and the internship position in the subject line of your email.

• Choose a proper greeting specific to the recruiter (Dear Miss, Mrs., or Mr.) or a more general greeting (To whom it may concern, etc.) if you are not sure who will be fielding the email.

• In the body of the email, try to keep your tone formal, unless you know the person who will be reviewing your application.

• Highlight your connection to the person who will be reviewing your application, if you have one.

• Touch on what interests you that is also relevant to the internship position or the company as a whole.

• Be sure to make a specific request stating that you would like an internship with the company or organization, do not be vague.

• Keep your email's content concise and brief.

• Thank the reader for their time and consideration.

• Attach your high school resume to the email.

• Send your internship request.