When you think about politics, elections come to mind, but political participation is much more than just elections. High school students can start learning about public policy and public service early in life through political summer high school internships or leadership-focused youth programs.
High school political internship programs, youth conferences, or leadership summits will give you invaluable information and firsthand experience in current issues that affect your daily freedoms and rights. This article will share the best political internships for high school students and other ways you can get involved in politics.
Can High School Students Access Political Internships?
Yes, political internships are not just for college students. You can participate in a summer internship or youth program that focuses on leadership, governance, public service, or international affairs. High school political internships are offered through government institutions, non-profit organizations, or university political science department networks.
Are There Political Summer High School Internships?
Yes, there are political summer high school internships. From your local government through the state and federal levels, political internships will teach you about different career possibilities in government. As a student intern, you will have a wide range of tasks such as event coordination or research.
Why Are Internships Important for High School Students?
- Professional skills. It is never too early to start developing professional skills that will be useful for your future. An internship in politics will give you real-world experience and teach you time management or even program planning skills, which will be useful in any career field.
- Leadership skills. There is nothing more crucial to politics than leadership. An internship is an exciting opportunity that enables you to develop your leadership qualities and skills. Leadership is a valuable life skill for any profession.
- Management skills. There is a wide range of management skills that you can learn from an internship. A political internship program presents an opportunity for students to learn skills from personal and interpersonal management, to finance and resource management. If you are interested in politics, then you’ll need to have these skills.
Top 10 High School Political Internships
American Legion Boys State and Boys Nation
- Location: All states, except Hawaii
- Length: One week
- Time Commitment: Full-time
This internship program for high school juniors teaches students about local, county, and state government. Students are often placed with business leaders in their communities. Two students from each state are selected to represent their state in Washington, DC, to learn more about the federal government.
American Legion Auxiliary Girls Nation
- Location: All states, except Hawaii
- Length: One week
- Time Commitment: Full-time
This is the female counterpart to Boys State and Boys Nation. Participants learn about the political processes by participating in a mock government scenario, selecting representatives, practicing public speaking, and running legislative sessions. Two high school interns are also selected to represent their state in Washington, DC, where they will meet with their government representatives on Capitol Hill.
Junior State of America Summer Institutes
- Location: Oakland, CA, online
- Length: Three weeks in the summer
- Time Commitment: Part-time
The Junior State of America (JSA) is a student-run, civic-focused organization that seeks to empower students for civic action through engagement and hands-on experience. JSA has three different summer institutes that give you a chance to meet and engage with elected government officials, leaders, journalists, and other students from across the US.
Congressional Page Program
- Location: Washington, DC
- Length: One or more school semesters or over the summer
- Time Commitment: Full-time
As a Senate page, you will work as an assistant to one of your members of Congress in the US House of Representatives or Senate. Your role is to do administrative tasks, and you will be required to attend classes at the US Senate Program School. To score a position for this beneficial experience, you have to be nominated and apply before the application deadline.
National Student Leadership Conference
- Location: Washington, DC
- Length: Nine days in the summer
- Time Commitment: Full-time
This youth leadership program focuses on showing students the inner workings of the US Congress and political process through firsthand experience. You will participate in mock presidential elections and US Senate simulations with other students from around the US, and hear from guest speakers with relevant personal experience in different areas of government.
US Department of Agriculture Pathways Internship Program
- Location: Varies with internship
- Length: One year
- Time Commitment: Part-time
The Pathways Internship Program is the official internship program for all US federal government departments. The Department of Agriculture is a great place to learn about political issues related to growing food and administering federal relief programs, like food assistance programs. This is a paid internship and one of the small selection of government programs that often lead to future employment opportunities.
George Washington University Summer Immersion
- Location: Washington, DC
- Length: Two weeks in the summer
- Time Commitment: Full-time
Students will take a two-week session on a topic of their choice, either foreign policy, international relations, US public policy, or national security. This internship program provides opportunities for students to learn from college professors who are experts in their fields and get to experience politics in Washington, DC.
YMCA Youth & Government
- Location: Across the US
- Length: Depends on location
- Time Commitment: Depends on location
This program prepares high school students for political leadership through relevant experience. Students learn about public policy through a collaborative learning simulation where they participate in a state-wide model government program. Program details vary from state to state.
Pasquines Internship
- Location: Online
- Length: Voluntary
- Time Commitment: Flexible (minimum 2 hours per week)
Pasquines is a non-profit news organization focused on US foreign policy, showing the links between national affairs and local political issues. This is a very flexible virtual internship program, and specific duties and foreign policy topics will vary. There are no official internship dates, you fill out the application form at any time, and interns are accepted on a rolling basis.
US Department of Education Internship
- Location: Washington, DC
- Length: Based on appointment
- Time Commitment: Based on appointment
These internship opportunities are offered to students interested in educational policy and administration at the federal government level. While you learn from the dedicated staff at the US Department of Education, one of the requirements is that you continue your studies on a part-time basis during the course of the internship.
Political Classes for High School Students
You need not be a graduate student at Harvard University or Columbia University to learn more about politics, governance, and foreign policy. There are many different available resources outside of traditional educational programs. You can take some classes right now and take advantage of an excellent opportunity to learn more about politics, political career fields, and the legislative process in general.
- Introduction to Political Science by Udemy. This course will introduce you to political science. It will help you understand political ideologies, political history, the law governing politics, and how the government works. This is especially useful as a way to understand how you can take part in politics as a future voter.
- Act on Climate: Steps to Individual, Community, and Political Action by Coursera. Public policies on natural resource management are an important political issue everywhere from local politics to international affairs. This course is offered through Coursera by the University of Michigan. You will learn how to address issues related to the climate through political action.
- Moral Foundations of Politics by Coursera. This course offered by Yale University will help you understand major political theories, how they evolved over time, and different perspectives on political theories. You’ll learn how to analyze political issues and think critically.
- Ultimate Time Management for Teens and Students by Udemy. Time management is an excellent skill to master no matter what career possibilities you are thinking about. In fact, taking on a political internship will require you to be organized with your time. This course will help you balance your workload and academic obligations without missing a beat.
- Introduction to International Relations by Udemy. This is a course for beginners, you don’t need to have any previous experience in international relations. You will learn about theories of international relations, how sovereign states came to be, causes of conflict and war, and the role of international organizations in the struggle for peace.
Should You Do a Political Internship in High School?
Yes, you should do a political internship in high school. An internship exposes you to real-world experiences and allows you to learn new professional skills. Additionally, the college application process is more competitive than ever, and a political internship shows you are a committed student. As a bonus, some programs even offer lunches with policy experts, so you could possibly have mini career advice sessions from someone who knows what they’re doing.
Political Internships for High School Students FAQ
Yes, there are political internships in data science. For example, the US Department of Education offers training and development in data analytics under their internship programs.
Yes, you can get a political internship without any previous job experience. High school internship programs are designed for high schoolers, and potential employers know that most high school students don’t have job experience before their first internship.
Yes, you can try an apprenticeship instead of an internship. Apprenticeships aren’t just for blue-collar jobs. You can find them in industries such as financial services, information technology, human resources, and advanced manufacturing.
You should review common internship interview questions and practice your answers ahead of time. Study the position description and make sure you tailor your answers to fit each part of the description. Arrive on time, dress formally, and carry copies of all the documents you submitted in your application. To prepare for an internship interview, approach it with the same seriousness you would a job interview.
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