Opportunities for Students (April 2025)

This April, opportunities for students are just blooming all over the place...

Spring is here, and with the season in full swing, calendars are starting to swell from the growing number of opportunities available for NYC public school students over the next several months. Thanks to cultural institutions, community organizations, and local businesses like our City public libraries (New York, Brooklyn, and Queens), Columbia University's Teachers College, the Guggenheim Museum, and Gotham Writers, thousands of City students will be able to visit City museums and attractions free-of-charge, pick up new skills at workshops and classes, and even make a little cash through opportunities like internships, scholarships, and fellowships over the next few months.

Check out the following list of student opportunities available to City families and students throughout April, see which ones make you want to spring into action, and register/apply today!

Many of the opportunities listed below take place virtually via Zoom; take a look at the various programs listed below and see which ones you can participate in this month! (Photo by Max Fischer; original found on Pexels)

Opportunities for Students in April 2025

The opportunities listed below are ordered by their submission/registration deadline dates, with the most urgent deadlines listed first. For more information about any of these listings, please click through the corresponding links embedded in each entry.

Develop Your Writing or Drawing Skills through Uptown Stories' Hands-On Workshops

For young people aged 8–17 years
Various workshops available at different sites during Spring Recess and summer months
Cost: Pay-What-You-Can; no proof of income required
Contact: Dorkys Ramos (dorkys@uptownstories.org)

Registration Deadline: ASAP

Expand your writing capabilities with Uptown Stories, an Uptown Manhattan-based nonprofit organization dedicated to offering afterschool, weekend, and summer creative writing and illustration workshops for children aged 8–17 years old. Available workshops include: "Anime: IKŌ!", where students can learn traditional Japanese animation techniques while creating unique characters and placing them in imaginative adventures; "The Nature of Poetry," a workshop dedicated to helping young poets establish a deeper connection to nature while honing their writing skills; and "The Elements of Fiction," where young writers between the ages of 8–12 can learn what it takes to develop great stories.

Uptown Stories' tuition is "Pay-What-You-Can;" visit Uptown Stories' webpage to learn more about the workshops, and register for a class today, as seats are limited.

Explore Art, Writing, and STEM Together at the Octavia Project Summer Camp

For students who will be in grades 6–8 by fall 2025 and identify as female, trans, nonbinary, and/or gender non-conforming
Camp runs July 1–24; M–Th, 8:30 A.M.–3 P.M.
Cost: Free; breakfast, lunch, snacks, and MetroCards are provided to participants
Contact: enrollment@octaviaproject.org

Application Deadline: April 15, 2025

Through the Octavia Project Summer Camp, students who will be in grades 6–8 next school year can be a part of fun daily workshops this summer that combine science, tech, art, and writing with field trips through NYC. The program will be held in-person in downtown Brooklyn four days a week (Monday–Thursday) beginning July 1.

Currently, the camp is seeking young women, as well as trans, nonbinary, and/or gender non-conforming youth who are able to travel to downtown Brooklyn on daily basis, are available for all four weeks of the program, and are into art, writing, science, tech, and gaming.

Visit the Octavia Project Summer Camp's webpage to learn more and to apply by April 15.

Apply to Win $10K from the 2025 Yankees-Stonewall Scholarship

For current NYCPS students in grade 12 who are on track for graduation, intend to attend college, and are members of the LGBTQ+ community

Application Deadline: April 21, 2025

For the seventh straight year, NYC Public Schools has teamed up with the New York Yankees and the Stonewall Inn to offer five graduating high school seniors, one from each borough, five separate $10,000 college scholarships in celebration of their strong academic achievements and impactful support of LGBTQ+ communities.

Learn more about the Yankees-Stonewall Scholarship, including what needs to be included in your application (i.e. teacher recommendation letter, 500-word essay, etc) by visiting our official webpage, and apply online through our official webform by April 21, 2025.

Learn How to Create an Outstanding Resume

For students in grades 9–12
Event takes place April 24, 4–5:30 P.M.
Cost: Free
Contact: Danny Clase at stemnights@nysci.org

Register Ahead of the Event on April 24, 2025

The New York Hall of Science is hosting a virtual workshop that will cover how to create and structure a powerful resume that can showcase your unique experiences. Register ahead of the virtual event on Thursday, April 24, to lock in your virtual place.

Become a Police Commissioner for a Day and Win $750 for You and Your School

For students in grades 9–12
Ceremony for winners takes place June 4, 2025
Cost: Free; just need to know your local police precinct to apply
Contact: (800) PAL-4KIDS (800-725-4543)

Submission Deadline: April 25, 2025

The Police Athletic League (PAL) is offering City high school students (grades 9–12) the opportunity to enter PAL's annual PAL/NYPD Police Commissioner for a Day essay contest for a chance to spend a day with top officials from the New York Police Department (NYPD), and win $500, a personalized plaque, and even a $250 donation to their school. This year's essay topic is:

"As Police Commissioner for a Day, what steps would you take with MTA officials to prevent and deter young people from participating in 'subway surfing?'"

Visit PAL's official essay contest webpage to learn more about the contest and to submit your essay by April 25, 2025.

Bring Literature and the Arts to Life This Summer through the Literacy Unbound Summer Institute

For students who will be in grades 9–12 by fall 2025
Institute runs July 7–11, 9 A.M.–4 P.M., at Teachers College, Columbia University in Manhattan
Cost: Free to apply, but if selected, a $100 registration fee is required by May 12
Contact: Adele Bruni Ashley at literacyunbound@tc.edu

Application Deadline: April 28, 2025

The 2025 Literacy Unbound Summer Institute at Teachers College, Columbia University, offers high school students a unique chance to engage deeply with literature and the arts. Focusing on Kazuo Ishiguro's "Klara and the Sun," participating students will explore themes of humanity and connection in a changing world through reading, writing, performance, and multimedia storytelling over the course of a week. Participating students will collaborate with professional artists and participating K–12 teachers to create and debut an original performance.

While there is no fee to apply to the program, students accepted into the Institute will be required to pay a $100 registration fee by May 12, 2025. Please note that there are a limited number of need-based scholarships are available to cover this fee.

Visit Teachers College's official Institute webpage to learn more and apply by April 28, 2025.

Go to Theater Camp This Summer with the Wooster Group Summer Institute

For NYC public school students aged 12–17 years
Camp runs for three weeks, July 7–26
Cost: Free (Lunch will be provided)
Contact: Clio Contogenis at si@thewoostergroup.org

Application Deadline for Camp: April 28, 2025

The Wooster Group Summer Institute is a free three-week theater camp for 12 to 17-year-old City public school students. During the camp, participating students will study movement, voice, acting, script-writing, and other aspects of performance. Students will also play lots of games and even work closely with award-winning professional actors and directors to create an original performance for an invited audience. No acting experience required!

Apply online using Wooster Group's official webform by Monday, April 28.

Hone Your Creative Writing Skills at Camp Gotham This Summer

For students aged 13–17 years
Two week-long sessions available (July 14–18 and August 4–8); M–F, 10 A.M.–4 P.M. at Gotham Writers' HQ
Cost: $899 for each session
Contact: contact@gothamwriters.com or (212) 974-8377

Rolling Registration: Enroll before May 8 for a $50 discount

For the first time ever, Gotham Writers is offering a week-long Teen Creative Writing Camp where young writers can unleash their creativity while learning some tricks of the trade. There are no grades, exams, or wrong answers at Camp Gotham—just writing. The camp will run Monday–Friday, six hours each day, and will end with a reading where students will be able to share their work with family and friends.

There will be two sessions of Camp Gotham this summer: the first session will take place July 14–18, 10 A.M.–4 P.M., while the second session will meet August 4–8, 10 A.M.–4 P.M. Both sessions will take place at Gotham Writers' headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, and tuition is $899 for each session.

Learn more by visiting the Camp Gotham Teen Creative Writing Camp webpage.

Take Climate Action at the 2025 Youth Climate Summit

For students in grades 6–12
Event takes place on May 21 (grades 6–8) and May 22 (grades 9–12); 10 A.M.–4 P.M.
Contact: Kailyn Fox (kfox8@schools.nyc.gov)

Registration Deadline: April 30, 2025

Register for the 2025 Youth Climate Summit, and enjoy a day outside on Governors Island where you can learn about environmental justice in NYC, network with organizations working on climate solutions, and meet other students who are passionate about sustainability. During the event, student teams will have the opportunity to share a climate action success story from their school. The Youth Leadership Council – a group of high school students from across NYC, will co-lead the Summit in collaboration with NYC Public Schools' Office of Energy & Sustainability.

Talk to your teachers about the 2025 Youth Climate Summit, and ask them to consider registering for the event!

Explore Symbolism in the Arts through the ARAS Teen Summer Program

For students aged 14–17 years
Event takes place virtually and in-person July 7–18; M–F, 10 A.M.–4 P.M.
Cost: Free
Contact: Benjamin Stevens (bstevens@aras.org)

Application Deadline: May 1, 2025

The ARAS Summer Art Program (formerly entitled Pioneer Teens) is a small program (8-12 students) dedicated to helping students form a personal relationship with art by exploring the stories, myths, and images that shape teens' lives. This free program introduces teens to the universal language of symbols through workshops, the creation of artworks, artist meetups, museum visits, and opportunities to explore the Archive for Research in Archetypal Symbolism (ARAS) library in Midtown Manhattan.

Apply for this program by Thursday, May 1, directly on ARAS' application page.

Teachers College's Literacy Unbound Program provides high school students a chance to collaborate with current K–12 teachers and professional artists to explore their personal connections to literature and the arts.

Improve Your STEM Skills This Spring and Summer Through STEM Is Us' FREE Virtual STEM Courses

For students in grades 2–9
Course takes place on Google Meets on Saturdays and Sundays, May 24–August 10
Cost: Free
Contact: Betty Li or Elizabeth Segal at Stemisus1@gmail.com

Registration Deadline: May 3, 2025

Stem is Us is offering free virtual workshops this summer in block-based coding, Python programming, advanced math, and biology fundamentals for students in grades 2–9, May 24–August 10. Led by passionate high school and university students, Stem is Us' remote classes will run on Saturdays and Sundays.

Discover New York City's Great Outdoors through the Urban Park Rangers

For students of all ages
Events run through Summer 2025
Cost: Free

Registration Deadlines Vary; See 'Events' page on NYC Parks' website

Since 1979, NYC Parks' Urban Park Rangers have helped New Yorkers and visitors of all ages discover and explore the City's natural world through environmental education, outdoor recreation, wildlife management, and active conservation.

Check out the Urban Park Rangers' Events webpage to learn about events happening at City parks near you, including events taking place throughout April—sign up directly for your desired events through NYC Parks' webpage.

Become an Art Detective at the Guggenheim and Earn a Stipend!

For students currently in grades 10–11
Program runs July 7–24; M–Th, 1–4:30 P.M.
Cost: Free; MetroCards and snacks will be provided during program
Contact: teenprograms@guggenheim.org

Application Deadline: May 5, 2025

Time to flex those investigative skills at the Guggenheim Museum this summer! Art Detectives is a free program for NYC high school students that are interested in the arts and sciences. Through this summer program, students can study with a variety of museum conservators and scientists working in the fields of art conservation and cultural heritage science. MetroCards and snacks will be provided, and students will receive a stipend following their successful completion of the program.

Learn more about the Art Detective program and apply by Monday, May 5.

Explore Art and Hang Out Afterschool at the Jewish Museum

For young people aged 13–19 years old
Events take place on April 29 and May 13; 4–6:00 PM
Cost: Free
Contact: teenprograms@thejm.org

No Registration Required

The Jewish Museum is inviting City teens to visit during their Teen Art Hang events this spring to explore art and work with other teens to engage with different mediums and materials to create new art that explores topics most relevant to them. No registration is required to participate in these Teen Art Hang events; check-ins will take place at the Jewish Museum's lobby.

Visit the Jewish Museum's Events webpage to learn more about these opportunities.

Win Free One-on-One College Essay Coaching from Gotham Writers

For students of color who are currently in grades 10–12
Scholarship for free five-hour package of essay coaching (via Zoom)
Cost: Free
Contact: contact@gothamwriters.com or (212) 974-8377

Application Deadline: May 15, 2025

Gotham Writers is offering high school students of color in grades 10–12 with the opportunity to earn a free scholarship towards a five-hour package of college essay writing and training with one of Gotham Writers' essay coaches via Zoom.

Visit Gotham Writers' Essay Coaching Scholarship page to learn more and apply by Thursday, May 15.

Level Up Your Arts Skills at the Guggenheim This Spring During GuggTeens Tuesdays

For young people aged 13–19 years old
Sessions take place select Tuesdays through May 27, 4–5:30 PM
Cost: Free (includes free museum admission, MetroCards, and learning materials)
Contact: teenprograms@guggenheim.org

Reservations Encouraged; See Schedule for Details

GuggTeens Tuesdays are free weekly programs held at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in Manhattan where teenagers can expand their art-making skills and meet other teen artists while taking inspiration from the museum's current exhibitions. No prior experience is needed to participate in this program.

Visit the GuggTeens Tuesdays webpage to learn more about the program, including event dates and topics, and RSVP your desired session(s) online beforehand to save your spot!

Submit a Winning Entry to the Very Short Story Contest for a Free Gotham Writers Class

For students aged 13 and up
Winner receives Gotham Writers class of their choosing
Cost to Apply: Free
Contact: contact@gothamwriters.com or (212) 974-8377

Submission Deadline: May 30, 2025

Entries are open now for Gotham Writers' annual "A Very Short Story Contest," which is based on the tale behind Ernest Hemingway's six-word story, "For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn." The challenge? Write a story in ten words or fewer, and submit it online via Gotham's website by 11:59 P.M. EST, on Friday, May 30. The best story will be published on Gotham's website, and the winner will receive a Gotham class of their choosing.

Visit Gotham Writers' "A Very Short Story Contest" webpage to learn more.

Make Your Mark at the Noguchi Museum This Summer

For students who will be in grades 11–12 in fall 2025
Program runs July 7–August 11; M–Th, 11 A.M.–4 P.M. at the Noguchi Museum in Queens
Cost: Free; MetroCards and art supplies provided
Contact: education@noguchi.org

Application Deadline: June 2, 2025

The Noguchi Museum's Making Your Mark program is a paid studio art-making intensive for rising junior and senior City public high school students. Participating students will learn about Isamu Noguchi, the namesake and founder of the Noguchi Museum, including his life and artistic practices, while also learning interdisciplinary approaches to sculpture. Students will also explore aspects of their own identity, creativity, and self-discovery while creating their own artwork, which will be shown in a public exhibition of student artwork at the museum's Education Studio.

Visit the Noguchi Museum's Marking Your Mark program page to learn more and to apply by Monday, June 2 at 11:45 P.M., EST.

Discover Your City with Culture Pass

For City library cardholders (includes NYPL, BPL, and QPL)
Free admission to over 100+ NYC cultural institutions
Contact: Visit their official "Contact Us" webpage

Check listings to see what's available!

Explore local museums and other City attractions with Culture Pass, New York City's free discovery program for City library cardholders. If you have a library card from either the Brooklyn Public Library, the Queens Public Library, or the New York Public Library, you can reserve a Culture Pass online for any of 100+ cultural institutions across the five boroughs.

Visit the official Culture Pass webpage and click on the "Reserve a Pass" button to identify which library card you currently hold, and you're on your way!

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For more opportunities like these, check out The Morning Bell every month during the school year—and don't forget to share this post with your friends, family, and colleagues!

On behalf of NYC Public Schools, we wish all of our students wonderful learning experiences both inside and outside the classroom.

Banner/teaser photos by Yan Krukau. Original can be found on Pexels.

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