Volunteer, Summer, and Other Opportunities
There are lots of ways to learn and grow outside of the classroom!Local groups, regional programs, businesses, and even national camps or workshops offer great experiences. Getting involved in these activities can help you explore new interests, meet professionals in different fields, and strengthen your resume for college or jobs.Check out the tabs below to find links and info about these opportunities!
Volunteering
Although community service hours are not required for graduation, we encourage all students to find a way to engage in their community and serve others.
This list of opportunities is not inclusive, but provides examples of things Parkway students have engaged with in the past.
- St. Louis County Library
- Jewish Community Center
- Friends of Kids with Cancer
- Ready Readers
- Loaves & Fishes
- St. Louis Area Foodbank
- Artists First
- TASK (Team Activities for Special Kids)
- KEEN (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now) St. Louis
- Great Rivers Greenway
- Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition
- Butterfly House
- Humane Society of Missouri
- Missouri House Rabbit Society of St. Louis
- Animal Protective Association
- Zoo ALIVE Teen Volunteer Program
- Zoo Teen Summer Program
- The Moog Center for Deaf Education - summer volunteers needed (contact lfales@moogcenter.org)
- Local Medical Path Opportunities
- United Way
- Volunteen Nation
- Volunteer Match
Note sure where you would like to volunteer?
Then check out the website VolunteerMatch.
Teens can input their zip code and areas of service they are interested in pursuing. Results will give the student the organization's webpage, address, description, last update date, what skills they are looking for in a volunteer, etc. to make it easy to reach out any opportunities.
6th Grade Camp
All applications should be submitted by September 19th, 2025 to be considered for fall camp dates; January 16th, 2026 to be considered for Spring dates.
Cabin leaders are mentors for 6th grade students at Parkway's Outdoor School. To be considered for a cabin leader, students must be in 10th, 11th, or 12th grade, and must complete the below application. Cabin Leaders who are enrolled in the A+ Scholarship Program will earn all 50 of their tutoring hours by leading one full outdoor camp session.
For more information about the 6th grade camp program, please visit Parkway's district website for Outdoor School.
Summer Programs
Summer is a great time to explore! Check out the opportunities below:
Parkway Summer College Admissions Program (at Maryville University) - This program is an opportunity to prepare yourself for the college application process and prepare for the ACT/SAT. If you have questions regarding the Maryville College Admissions Summer Programs, please contact: Casey Holland (WHS) at cholland1@parkwayschools.net 314-415-5586
Mentors4College Summer Programs Webpage Access an up-to-date list of area summer programs on THIS page managed by our partners at Mentors4College which keeps opportunities organized by grade level/age eligibility.
Summer Programs By Location
St Louis Area Programs
BESt Pharmacy Summer Institute (app required/no fee) – Six week summer programs to prepare underrepresented minority students for future careers in health care with an emphasis on pharmacy http://bestpharmacyinstitute.org/
BJC Healthcare School Outreach and Youth Development - https://www.bjc.org/about/bjc-community-health/school-outreach
Lindenwood University (fees apply) - http://www.lindenwood.edu/academics/summerCamps.html
Mercy Teen Hospital Volunteer Program - https://www.mercy.net/practice/mercy-volunteer-services-st-louis/teens-learning-in-the-community-tlc-st-louis/
NCCJ St. Louis - St. Louis, MO (app required/fees apply) - AnyTown Youth Leadership Institute is a program that prepares young people to be effective leaders for inclusion; creating schools, youth programs, & communities that are welcome to all of us. Click here to apply: Application https://www.nccjstl.org/anytown/
SIU Edwardsville Engineering Summer Camp (fees apply) - http://www.siue.edu/engineering/summercamps/index.shtml
St. Louis University (fees apply) – K-12 Summer camps at SLU http://www.slu.edu/summer/
University of Missouri- St Louis (app required/no fee) – Bridge Program
http://www.umsl.edu/~precollegiate/programs/summer.htmll
University of Missouri-St. Louis (app required/fees apply) - STARS (Students & Teachers as Research Scientists Program) https://community.umsystem.edu/engagements/students-and-teachers-as-research-scientists-stars/
University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy - Health Care Summer Immersion Program https://www.uhsp.edu/why-uhsp/community-engagement/summer-camps-and-programs-at-uhsp/health-care-summer-immersion-program/
Washington University (app required/fees apply) - Summer programs offer highly motivated high school students the opportunity to experience WashU in the classroom and beyond. Click here for Summer Programs for High School Students
Washington University - Young Scientist Program Summer Focus (8-week internship) https://sites.wustl.edu/wustlysp/programs/summer-focus/
Washington University Early College Scholars Program (app required/fees apply) - High School College Access is a year-round program that allows you to enroll in one or two introductory-level day or evening courses through University College and the Summer School https://precollege.wustl.edu/early-college-scholars
Webster University (fees apply) - Summer Camps https://www.webster.edu/summer/index.php
Westminster College (fees apply) - Summer Camps https://wcastl.org/camp-westminster/camp-descriptions
Missouri and Illinois Area Programs
Columbia College - Columbia, MO (app required/fees apply) - Various Summer Camps
https://www.ccis.edu/events/summer
Drury University - Springfield, MO (app required/fees apply) - Drury Leadership Acadamy https://www.drury.edu/gifted-education/summerscape-drury-leadership-academy/
Drury University - Springfield, MO (app required/fees apply) - The Center for Gifted Education
http://www.drury.edu/gifted-education
Eastern Illinois University - Charleston, IL (app required/fees apply) - English Studies Summer Camp
http://www.eiu.edu/
Missouri Cadet Patrol Academy - Jefferson City, MO - For students 16-18 years old who are interested in pursuing a career in the Criminal Justice System
https://www.missourilegion.org/cadet-patrol
Mizzou - Columbia, MO (app required/fees apply) - College of Agriculture, Food & National Rescources Summer Academies https://cafnr.missouri.edu/academics/summer-academies/
Mizzou - Columbia, MO (app required/fees apply) - Mini Medical School for students considering a medical career
https://medicine.missouri.edu/education/pre-med-outreach-programs/mini-medical-school
Mizzou - Columbia, MO (app required/fees apply) - Medical Explorations workshop for rising juniors and seniors
https://medicine.missouri.edu/education/pre-med-outreach-programs/mizzou-medprep-explorations/medical-explorations
Missouri State University - Springfield, MO (fees apply) - CSI Summer Camp for students in grades 9-12 https://criminology.missouristate.edu/csi-camp.htm
Missouri University of Science & Technology - Rolla, MO (app required/fees apply) – Summer camps
https://futurestudents.mst.edu/summer-camps/
Southeast Missouri State University - Cape Girardeau, MO (fees apply) - Summer camps
http://www.semo.edu/camps/
Southern Illinois University - Carbondale, IL - School of Accountancy summer camp - https://soa.siu.edu/soar/index.php
Truman State University - Kirksville, MO (fees apply) - Summer healthcare academy https://healthcareacademy.truman.edu/
UMKC - Kansas City, MO (app required/fees apply) - Design Discover Program
https://info.umkc.edu/aupd/design-discovery-program/
UMKC - Kansas City, MO (app required/fees apply) - Pharmacy Camp https://pharmacy.umkc.edu/news-and-events/pharmacy-camp.html
Out of State Programs
AgDiscovery Program (various locations) www.aphis.usda.gov/agdiscovery
University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, AL) - http://k12summer.ua.edu
University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, AL) - Early College uaearlycollege.ua.edu
Boston University (Boston, MA) - Summer High School Programs http://www.bu.edu/summer/high-school-programs/
Broadreach - Global education & skill-building summer adventures www.gobroadreach.com
Calvin College (Grand Rapids, MI) - Entrada Scholars Program for academically talented ethnic minority youth https://calvin.edu/offices-services/college-access-programs/programs/entrada/index.html
University of Chicago (Chicago, IL) - http://summer.uchicago.edu/highschool/programs
Emory University (Atlanta, GA) - http://precollege.emory.edu/
George Washington University (Washington, D.C.) - http://precollege.gwu.edu/
Georgetown University (Washington, D.C.) – http://scs.georgetown.edu/departments/21/summer-programs-for-high-school-students
Johns Hopkins University (virtual) - Global Health and Medicine summer program https://glohea.org/
K-State University - School of Music, Theatre, and Dance summer camps https://www.k-state.edu/mtd/events/summer/
Miami University (Oxford, OH) - http://miamioh.edu/admission/high-school/summer-scholars/
University of Mississippi - www.outreach.olemiss.edu/pre_college
Murray State University (Murray, KY) - Commonwealth Honors Academy To attend students must have at least 25 on ACT and 3.5 or higher GPA No cost to students except transportation www.murraystate.edu/cha
National Geographic Student Expediations - ngstudentexpeditions.com
University of Nebraska (Lincoln) - Big Red Summer Academic Camps http://4h.unl.edu/big-red-camps
Northwestern University (Evanston, IL) - National High School Institute - School of Communications offers programs in film & video, speech, theatre arts, and debate www.northwestern.edu/nhsi
Otis College of Art and Design (Los Angeles, CA) - http://www.otis.edu/summer-art
Oxbridge Academic Programs - www.oxbridgeprograms.com
University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA) - https://www.sas.upenn.edu/summer/
University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA) - Engineering Summer Academy esap.seas.upenn.edu
Phillips Academy (Andover, MA) - www.andover.edu/summer
Pratt Institute (Brooklyn, NY) - https://www.pratt.edu/continuing-and-professional-studies/precollege/
Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN) - http://www.purdue.edu/summercamps/
Putney Student Travel - goputney.com
Ringling College of Art and Design (Sarasota, FL) - http://www.ringling.edu/PreCollege
Savannah College of Art and Design (Savannah, GA) - http://www.scad.edu/academics/pre-college-summer-programs/scad-summer-seminars
Society of American Military Engineers - STEM camps https://www.same.org/camps/
USC University of Southern California - http://summerprograms.usc.edu/
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies (CA) - https://spcs.stanford.edu/
Stanford Academic Enrichment Programs (CA) - https://spcs.stanford.edu/programs
Summer Institute for the Gifted (various locations) - http://www.giftedstudy.org/
Tufts University (Medford, MA) - https://universitycollege.tufts.edu/high-school/intensives
US Naval Academy (Annapolis, MD) - http://www.usna.edu/Admissions/Programs/index.php
College of William and Mary (Williamsbrug, VA) - Pre-collegiate Program in Early American History https://www.wm.edu/as/niahd/precol/
Yale Young Global Scholars Program (New Haven, Connecticut) - http://globalscholars.yale.edu/
Enrichment
Students are often looking for experiences which will promote academic and/or personal growth. Here are some examples of opportunities or resources available to find the best fit for your needs:
- Local Medical Path Opportunities
- UMSL Bridge Summer Academy
- UMSL Cigna Saturday Academy
- BESt Healthcare Institute Summer Program
- Xploration Healthcare Summer Program (ages 11-15)
- Healthcare Camp - SoutheastHEALTH (rising 10th-12th)
- Wash U - High School Summer Scholars Program
- Lumiere Education - Research Scholars Program
