How To Keep Teens Productive This Summer

How To Keep Teens Productive This Summer

As the school year comes to a close, a sense of urgency grows among parents about keeping students productive during the summer months. I am often asked where to find summer opportunities, and which are best in the eyes of college admissions officers. Should students take a course, volunteer or work?

The reality is that colleges view a student who must work (to help support their family or pay for college) just as positively as the student who studies Microeconomic Theory at Harvard, let's say, for the summer. For many students in between, the key is to use the summer to explore or deepen an interest. You don’t need to spend the summer in a classroom, but gone are the days when you can explain in your college interview how you spent your summer “hanging out with friends at the beach.” Colleges want to see students active and pursuing their passions.

Summer jobs for teens in this economy are hard to find, but conversely volunteer opportunities and unpaid internships are plentiful! Some existing programs may be tailor-made for a particular interest. Aspiring doctors and medical professionals can find internships at Landmark Medical Center, history buffs can volunteer at Linden Place, and budding environmentalists can be Zoo Crew Educators at Roger Williams Park (more volunteer openings can be found at www.vcri.org).

Athletes who hope to be recruited by D1-D3 colleges should consider travel teams and showcases where college scouts abound in summer. Artists who want to explore career options can take advantage of RISD’s two-week programs that range from Fashion Design to Digital Drawing or take a course in ceramics or jewelry making at the Steelyard in Providence. And finally, for those students with a larger budget and a passion for adventure, programs like Rustic Pathways and Broadreach give students the opportunity to explore distant cultures and perform community service.

For students who can’t find an existing program that fits, you can design your own summer activity. One of my students who is an award-winning dancer started a hip-hop dance program at her local Boys & Girls Club. Another who is a singer formed an a cappella group that toured nursing homes. And a group of soccer players collected used cleats and started a soccer camp for children at a local homeless shelter.

Remember that while leadership roles like student government president may be hard to obtain during the school year, summer is a time when you have an unrestricted opportunity to create a unique leadership role to showcase to colleges. The bottom line is that there are an abundance of summer options that will reduce parental stress while allowing students to have fun, explore a passion, and tell a great story in college essays and interviews.

Cristiana Quinn, M.Ed. is the Founder of College Admission Advisors, LLC