Opportunities for Students (January 2026)

Published January 12, 2026

Students: start the new year off right by nabbing yourselves great learning and earning opportunities this spring and beyond!

Throughout January, numerous organizations, agencies, and community partners like the New York Public Library (NYPL), the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), Columbia University, and the Mas Family are offering students across the five boroughs the chance to participate in free workshops, get selected for paid internships, and earn scholarships for college. Whether its spending Midwinter Recess learning what it takes to bring a musical stage production to life, or winning a writing/artwork contest in celebration of our nation's 250th birthday, City students have a diverse range of options to apply for and participate in this month!

Check out the following list of opportunities that are available for City students this month and beyond, and register/apply for them TODAY!

Help keep NYC's beaches and pools safe this summer by becoming an NYC Parks Lifeguard! Learn what it takes to get through NYC Parks' rigorous Lifeguard Training Program before becoming a full-time lifeguard earning $22 per hour! (Photo by @nycparks via Instagram)

Opportunities for Students in January 2026

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.

Spend Midwinter Recess Exploring Careers in the Arts through the New York City Center Externship Program

Apply by January 15, 2026
Cost: Free
Contact: skutnowsky@nycitycenter.org

The New York City Center Externship Program is offering City students, 14–18 years old, the opportunity to participate in its weeklong “Inside the Rehearsal Room: Creative Careers” seminar during Midwinter Recess (February 17–20, 2026). Participating students will take on the roles of “Director,” “Music Director,” and “Choreographer” and learn what it takes to bring a musical stage production to life.

Visit NYC Center’s Externship Program webpage to learn more about the Creative Careers seminar, and submit your application online by Thursday, January 15, 2026.

Elevate Your Summer with the Ladders for Leaders Program

Apply by January 16, 2026
Cost: Free
Contact: (800) 246-4646

The Department of Youth and Community Development's (DYCD) 2026 Ladders for Leaders program is now taking applications from qualified 16–24 year olds who are seeking to explore their interests by participating in paid professional summer internships with leading corporations, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies located here in NYC.

Students accepted into the program will receive employment training, as well as eligibility to obtain paid summer internships across a variety of industries. Additionally, all participating students will have the opportunity to join the Ladders for Leaders Alumni Network, where they can network with former participants in the Ladders for Leaders program for other opportunities once the summer is over.

Please note that this is NOT an application for DYCD's Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP)—please stay tuned for more information about SYEP in the coming weeks.

Learn more about the Ladders for Leaders program by visiting DYCD's 2026 Ladders for Leaders application page, and submit your application by Friday, January 16, 2026.

Win the Jewish Museum's Teen Photo Contest

Submit Your Photo by January 30
Cost: Free to participate
Contact: Jamie Auriemma <jauriemma@thejm.org>

The Jewish Museum is inviting the City's middle and high school students to capture and submit their own original photographs that tie into the theme of "renewal." This theme is open to interpretation; perhaps you'd like to capture the creation of a new family or local tradition? Or maybe you'd like to document someone's personal transformation or a community's collective shift? Whatever your subject, this "renewal" prompt is open to your own creative and artistic interpretation.

Students may submit up to three distinct photographs for consideration, and the photographs MUST be students' own original works and free from copyright restrictions. Visit the Jewish Museum's contest webpage to learn more, and submit your photo by Friday, January 30, 2026!

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

Registration Deadline: ASAP
Cost: Pay-What-You-Can; no proof of income required
Contact: Dorkys Ramos <dorkys@uptownstories.org>

Expand your writing capabilities with Uptown Stories, an Uptown Manhattan-based nonprofit organization dedicated to offering afterschool and weekend-based creative writing and illustration workshops for children aged 8–18 years old. Available classes include: "Game for Poetry," a workshop dedicated to helping young poets learn how to find joy, magic, and mystery while playing with words; "The Elements of Fiction," where young writers between the ages of 8–12 can learn what it takes to develop great stories; and "Drawing a Map of Me," a workshop for students who are interested in finding new ways to tell their own unique, personal stories that merge their favorite places, memories, and daily routines into layered visual 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.

Get to Know the Natural Side of NYC this Fall through the Urban Park Rangers

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 art exhibitions, scavenger hunts, discovery hikes, and nighttime astronomy, that are taking place throughout January and February. Sign up directly for your desired events through NYC Parks' Urban Park Rangers webpage.

Take Your Grades to the Next Level with a Tutor from Columbia University

Get Help Understanding Your Schoolwork Today
Cost: Free

Columbia University’s Sci-Inspire, a student-led, volunteer-based organization made up of Columbia undergraduates, is offering free one-on-one tutoring services to the City’s middle and high school students. City students can receive tutoring across a wide range of subjects, ranging from pre-calculus to college application writing. All sessions will take place weekly via Zoom.

Visit Sci-Inspire’s webpage to learn more about the program, and register your interest today by filling out Sci-Inspire’s Student Intake Form.

Did you know that the incredible American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) provides eligible New Yorkers with complimentary one-year Discoverer Memberships? Learn more by checking out AMNH's "Discoverer Membership page. (Photo by Alvaro Keding, AMNH. Original can be found on AMNH's website)

Win Money for College through the Mas Family Scholarship Fund

Apply for the scholarship by January 31, 2026
Contact: Elizabeth Morin <contact@masfamilyscholarships.org>

Since 1996, the Mas Family has offered talented Cuban and Cuban-American high school students with college scholarships. Eligible students must have a 3.5 GPA or higher, be Cuban or of direct Cuban descent, demonstrate leadership and community involvement, and have financial need.

Visit the Mas Family Scholarship webpage to learn more about the scholarship and to apply.

Level Up Your Arts Skills at the Guggenheim During Teen Tuesdays

Make a Reservation for Teen Tuesdays at the Guggenheim
Reservations Recommended. Next Event on February 3, 2026.
Cost: Free (includes museum admission, snacks, MetroCards and learning materials)
Contact: teenprograms@guggenheim.org

Teen Tuesdays are free programs held at the iconic Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in Manhattan that provide teenagers with the space and opportunity to expand their art-making skills while taking inspiration from the museum's current exhibitions. Participating teens will also get the chance to watch live performances and connect with other teen artists. No experience is needed to participate in Teen Tuesdays; just bring in your curiosity and imagination!

Teen Tuesdays are part of the Guggenheim's free Teen Circle Membership. Learn more about the next Teen Tuesdays event by visiting the Guggenheim's official webpage and reserving your spot for one or more sessions.

Stop By the Morgan Library for Family First Saturdays

Get Tickets for Museum Admission at the Morgan Library
Cost: Free access with museum admission; admission free for children 12 and under
Contact: Talia BarNoy <familyprograms@themorgan.org>

Explore the historic Morgan Library for an outstanding hourlong family program geared towards children! Family First Saturdays provide City families with inspired picture book read-alouds and related tours of the Morgan's impressive collections.

The next scheduled Family First Saturday will take place on February 7, 2026; visit the Morgan's related family event webpage to learn more.

Learn How to Start Your Own Business in Science and Technology through the EFL Young Ambassadors Program

Submit Your Application by February 17, 2026
Cost: Free
Contact: Stella Miao <cjm739@nyu.edu>and Matt Myers <mdm9816@stern.nyu.edu>

Endless Frontier Labs' (EFL) Young Ambassadors Program provides high school students with the opportunity to learn directly from business school students, science and technology startups, and EFL mentors about how to start and run their own businesses.

Visit EFL's official Young Ambassadors Program webpage to learn more about this opportunity, and submit your application by Tuesday, February 17, 2026.

Become an NYC Parks Lifeguard

Are you ready to rise to the challenge and help keep New Yorkers safe this summer by keeping a close watch on our City’s pools and beaches

Consider becoming an NYC Parks Lifeguard!

Qualified candidates are placed into NYC Parks' Lifeguard Training program, where you'll strengthen your swimming technique and endurance, learn crucial lifesaving techniques, and receive certification to become an NYC Parks Lifeguard. Candidates who successfully complete the training program will then be offered full-time positions at City beaches and pools this summer for $22 per hour.

To learn more, visit NYC Parks' "Become an NYC Parks Lifeguard" webpage, and brush up on your swimming skills at one of their Swim Prep sessions before signing up for a qualifying test.

Consider participating in the New York Public Library's (NYPL) "We the Future: Teen Voices on America's 250th" contest for your chance to win up to $500! (Photo by NYPL; original image can be found on NYPL's Teen Creative Contest webpage.)

Learn How to Become a Leader through the UN's Global Youth Excellence and Leadership Program

Apply for the United Nations' Global Youth Excellence and Leadership Program
Cost: $0–$5,500, depending on need
Contact: Robert L. Sventova <rob@un.gyel.org>

The United Nations' Global Youth Excellence and Leadership Program (GYEL) provides talented and aspirational middle and high school students of all backgrounds with high quality leadership training and mentorship designed to bring out their very best for college and beyond. GYEL seeks to inspire and support future medical researchers, mathematicians, computer scientists, and Nobel Peace Prize, Pulitzer Prize, and Academy Award winners whose breakthroughs can uplift entire communities and completely redefine what is truly possible for future generations.

Learn more about GYEL, including its Needs-Based Assistance program, by visiting its official website.

Receive a Free "Discoverer" Membership to the American Museum of Natural History

Enroll anytime at AMNH's Member Desk between 10:00 AM and 4:30 PM
Contact: membership@members.amnh.org or (212) 769-5606

Are you currently enrolled in New York State's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)?

If so, you're eligible to receive a free one-year Discoverer Membership from the world-class American Museum of Natural History (AMNH)! To enroll, simply stop by the museum's Member Desk between 10:00 AM and 4:30 PM and speak with a representative about enrolling—you'll then receive a digital membership card that you'll be able to begin using right away.

In addition to free general admission to AMNH, you'll also be able to gain free entry to one ticketed exhibition on every visit, and you'll be able to take advantage of the museum's extended operating hours for members, among other benefits.

Visit AMNH's official "Discoverer" membership page to learn more about these free memberships!

Join a Youth Action 50 Group and Start Making an Impact on Your Community

Rolling Application; Join Today
Cost: Free to participate
Contact: Stuart Davis <stdavis@cityhall.nyc.gov>

Youth Action 50 is a citywide leadership program that empowers City public high school students to take action on the issues that matter most to them and their communities. Students meet regularly with peers and adult facilitators to build leadership skills, plan community service projects, and make their voices heard. YA50 members will gain hands-on experience in civic engagement, community organizing, and teamwork—while earning community service hours and contributing to positive change in New York City.

Apply now to join a YA50 site and become part of a citywide network of young leaders! Visit the YA50 program webpage for more information.

Prepare for a Life of Public Service During Civic Leadership Day

Apply by March 1
Cost: Free
Contact: Anika Rahman <civics@thetownhall.org>

The Town Hall is inviting high school students across the City to its Civic Leadership Day event at Fordham University’s Lincoln Center campus. During the event, students will strengthen their leadership skills and discover how they can actively participate in civic life. After the event, students will spend four weeks identifying an issue in their community and work on a solution, which will then be presented during a showcase at the Lincoln Center campus on May 27.

Visit the Town Hall event webpage to learn more, and submit your application by Sunday, March 1, 2026.

Share Your Story about Life in America Today and Win Up to $500

Apply by March 8
Cost: Free to participate
Contact: youngadultservices@nypl.org

This year, the New York Public Library (NYPL) will be joining our nation in celebration of its 250th birthday by asking NYC teens, 13–18 years old, to share their stories about life in America today. NYPL's "We the Future: Teen Voices on America's 250th" contest is looking for original American stories—the story can be your tale, your family's story, your community's story, or even the story of a cause bigger than yourself!

Students who wish to participate are invited to submit written work of no more than 1,000 words, or artwork like a painting, drawling/illustration, photography, or sculpture, for the chance to win $500 and be published in a special edition of NYPL's Teen Voices magazine. Twenty runner-up winners will each receive a $250 gift card while also getting their submissions published in NYPL Teen Voices.

Visit NYPL's We the Future webpage to learn more, and send your submission by Sunday, March 8, 2026!

For more opportunities like these, check out The Morning Bell every month during the remainder of the 2025–26 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 and families an outstanding start to 2026!

Banner/teaser photos by RDNE Stock Project. Original photo by RDNE Stock Project can be found on Pexels.