Community Projects Competition
Open now
Apply a problem-solving process to an issue in your community through a practical project.
Design
21 Jan 2027
Free
9-18
Hybrid
Best for
Students considering a community-focused project
How to Plan Your High School Summers, Grades 9–12
Plan each high school summer around one manageable goal, existing commitments and time to rest. Choose exploration, deeper study or paid work as your needs change.
Programs
Choose between optionsLast verified: 10 Oct 2026Reviewed by:SSSean Stevens
- Choose one manageable summer goal, then fit it around schoolwork, family responsibilities, paid work and rest.
- After grade 9, try an interest; after grade 10, consider deeper practice; before grade 12, protect preparation time.
- Paid jobs, volunteering and independent learning can form a summer plan without a paid program.
- A rising grade is the grade you will enter after summer, rather than the grade you have just completed.
- Use grade examples flexibly and choose a feasible next step for the coming summer.
What Succeed checks
We review public sources, provider information and recognised education-sector guidance, then focus on what helps students make practical decisions.
How official sources are used
We use official sources where available, especially for deadlines, eligibility, costs, availability and application details.
What Last verified means
Last verified is the latest date Succeed checked the key public information used in this guide. Details can still change after that date.
Why details can change
Opportunity details can change between review cycles. Always check the official source before applying or making a final decision.
Succeed's guidance is editorially independent. Providers do not approve or control the advice in our guides. If a provider relationship affects a page, we state it clearly.
What does summer planning by grade mean?
Summer planning by grade means choosing activities that fit the school year you are entering and your current responsibilities. “Rising” means entering the named grade after summer: a rising 10th grader has finished grade 9, and a rising senior is entering grade 12. Here, “after grade 9” and “before grade 10” refer to the same summer.
US grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 correspond broadly to England and Wales Years 10, 11, 12 and 13. The equivalent labels are Northern Ireland Years 11–14 and Scotland S3–S6, respectively. For international programs, confirm how the provider applies its age, grade and final-school-year requirements.
Succeed suggests exploring early interests, deepening an interest when it feels useful, and reserving time for school or next-stage preparation. These are flexible examples, and paid work, family responsibilities and rest can shape any summer. A paid program is optional; choose one manageable next step and adjust the plan as your circumstances change.
How to choose a feasible plan for next summer
Write down your completed grade and the grade you will enter, using the provider's terminology when comparing programs.
Common mistake: Avoid confusing completed and rising grades.
Decide whether your priority is exploring an interest, practicing a skill, earning money, meeting school requirements or recovering energy.
Common mistake: Avoid treating every possible goal as essential.
Block out school assignments, family duties, work shifts, travel and downtime before adding another activity.
Common mistake: Avoid filling every unscheduled day.
List confirmed funds and expected expenses, including any fees, transport, meals, accommodation or materials you would need to pay for.
Common mistake: Avoid relying on unconfirmed funding.
Compare a local activity, independent learning and a structured program against the same goal, budget and weekly schedule.
Common mistake: Avoid assuming a higher price means better fit.
Confirm eligibility, attendance expectations, supervision and full costs, or permitted duties and hours for a job.
Common mistake: Avoid assuming online activities have flexible attendance.
Choose one action, such as borrowing a book, contacting a local employer or saving a suitable program for comparison.
Common mistake: Avoid committing to several activities at once.
Before accepting a summer job, confirm the permitted duties, working hours and any permit requirements for your age and location. US federal rules and UK child-employment guidance restrict work for younger students, so agree suitable duties and a workable schedule with the employer.
Which summer approach fits your commitments?
| Dimensions | Explore locally | Deepen one interest | Prioritize paid work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Try unfamiliar activities | Practice a focused skill | Earn money within permitted duties |
| Example after grade 9 | Library reading, occasional volunteering | Small creative or coding project | Suitable local work, where permitted |
| Example after grade 10 | Arrange suitable job shadowing | Continue a project or compare programs | Work shifts plus occasional subject reading |
| Example before grade 12 | Focused career or campus exploration | Finish a manageable piece of work | Agreed shifts plus application preparation |
| Budget planning | Allow for transport and materials | Compare free resources and full program costs | Estimate earnings and work-related expenses |
| School and rest | Keep assignments and downtime protected | Limit scope around existing commitments | Agree hours around schoolwork and breaks |
Choose one feasible next step for summer
Compare these examples with local work, volunteering or independent study, then choose one next action that fits your summer.
Save deadline
Compare this in-person science camp with a local reading or independent-learning plan.
Science
June to August 2026, 4 sessions
From $295
12-15
In-person
Best for
Students exploring science
CS Scholars
Open now
Use this in-person computer science program as a comparison point for focused summer study.
Computer Science
26 Jun – 24 Jul 2027
Free
16+
In-person
Best for
Students considering deeper computer science study
Save a relevant option from the recommendations and compare its commitments with your budget, schoolwork and planned rest.
Compare my summer shortlistIs your summer plan manageable?
Name the school year you will enter after summer.
Choose one main goal for the summer.
Put schoolwork and family responsibilities in your calendar.
Agree a spending limit using confirmed funds.
Include travel, materials and other necessary expenses.
Confirm eligibility, attendance expectations and any work restrictions.
Reserve downtime before adding optional activities.
Choose one next action and review the plan together.
Summer planning examples from grades 9–12
| Age / year group | Best focus | Good opportunity types | What to prepare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before grade 9 / rising 9th | Explore interests, recharge | Reading, creative activities, local clubs | School tasks, family schedule, downtime |
| After grade 9 / rising 10th | Try one interest, preserve rest | Library learning, volunteering, introductory camps | Interest list, budget, manageable weekly plan |
| After grade 10 / rising 11th | Explore careers, practice a skill | Small projects, suitable work, job shadowing | Project scope, schoolwork, permitted work hours |
| After grade 11 / rising 12th | Focused work, next-stage preparation, rest | Continued projects, jobs, suitable programs | Application tasks, school assignments, realistic weekly schedule |
| After grade 12 / school leaver | Transition planning, savings, rest | Work, independent learning, orientation if relevant | Next-stage requirements, student portal, living-cost budget |
Common assumptions about high school summers
Reality
A paid program is optional. Reading, projects, volunteering and suitable paid work are other ways to organize a summer.
What to do
Compare activities against your actual goal and budget.
Reality
Your needs can change between school years. A summer centered on rest, school commitments or earning money can be a reasonable choice.
What to do
Use the grade examples as flexible starting points.
Reality
Online participation can involve fixed sessions and substantial independent work. Some programs require full participation in every component.
What to do
Confirm attendance expectations before agreeing work shifts.
Reality
A workable plan leaves room for rest and existing responsibilities. Adding activities without checking the total workload can crowd out those priorities.
What to do
Schedule downtime before filling the remaining space.
Narrow summer options to a manageable shortlist
Use your main goal and practical limits to narrow the options before comparing individual activities.
Step 1 of 4
What are you looking for right now?
Selection reviewed by
Sean Stevens
Co-founder, Succeed | Founder, Immerse Education (2012–2026)
Sean works at the intersection of academic enrichment, program quality and university preparation, with expertise in evaluating pre-university experiences for ambitious secondary school students.
High school summer planning FAQs
A rising 10th grader has completed grade 9 and will enter grade 10 after summer. A rising senior will enter grade 12, usually the final US high school year.
US grades 9–12 correspond broadly to England and Wales Years 10–13, Northern Ireland Years 11–14 and Scotland S3–S6. Confirm the provider's interpretation when eligibility refers to age or the final year of secondary school.
Try one interest through reading, volunteering, a creative activity or an introductory program. Keep the commitment manageable and leave time to recharge.
You could explore an interest more deeply through a small project, suitable job shadowing or paid work. There is no required progression, so keep exploring if you are still deciding what interests you.
Reserve time for school assignments and any application preparation before choosing another commitment. A job or focused project can be your main activity, with a schedule that also protects rest.
Yes: library resources, volunteering and independent learning can form your plan. MIT OpenCourseWare provides free course materials for self-paced study without enrollment, but it awards no credit or certification.
Build a schedule around agreed work shifts, school commitments and rest, then add a small learning goal if it fits. Confirm the permitted duties and hours for your age and location, and discuss flexibility with your employer.
Plan around your next destination, whether that is further study, work or another route. If you are starting college, review student-portal tasks and orientation requirements, budget for indirect expenses and leave time for rest.
Explore more
Useful guides
Sources
- Making a Budget — Consumer.gov
- Restrictions on Child Employment — GOV.UK
- FLSA Child Labor Rules for Ages 14–15 — US Department of Labor
- How Do I Balance High School and Part-Time Work? — College Board
- Get Started — MIT OpenCourseWare
- FAQs for Students — Yale Summer Program in Astrophysics
- Setting Up Your Common Application — US–UK Fulbright Commission
- What You Should Do the Summer Before College — College Board
- Parent Action Plan: 11th Grade — College Board
- Parent Action Plan: 10th Grade — College Board
- Parent Action Plan: 9th Grade — College Board
Find opportunities that fit your next step
Use this guide to build a shortlist, then find matching opportunities in Succeed.