10 Internships for High School Students in Delaware
Internships are a great way for high school students to explore interests, form professional and personal networks, and learn new skills. Understanding the daily functioning of a profession will help you decide if you would enjoy a career in the field. Internships also allow you to showcase your leadership, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.
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nvesting time in an internship can set you apart when you apply for college. They highlight your intention to keep learning beyond the school curriculum. In this blog, we discuss 10 internships to help high school students in Delaware explore specific fields of interest, including Business, AI, Law, Public Health, Marine Biology, and more. If you’re looking for more programs for high school students in Delaware, check out this blog.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,490 (financial aid is available)
Dates: Multiple cohorts through the year including Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter
Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November)
Eligibility: Students will need to work 5-10 hours per week, for 8 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates and gap year students.
A selective internship program, Ladder Internships connects students with high-growth start-ups. High-growth start-ups include those which on average raise over a million dollars. Internships are available across a range of industries including tech, media, AI/ML and health tech, journalism, business and consulting. Through this program, you will work not only with your managers but also with a “Ladder Coach” who shall mentor you through the process. You will work on real world projects and present your work to the company at the end of the internship. Apply through the link here.
Location: Once you’re accepted, you’ll be interning at a local nonprofit
Cost: No cost; stipend is provided
Dates: Typically starts at the end of the school year
Application Deadline: January 15
Eligibility: Currently a junior or senior in high school, legally authorized to work in the USA. You can find the list of regions here. Cannot be a Bank of America employee or immediate family member.
The Bank of America Student Leaders Program annually supports over 300 students to create a community-minded workforce. This competitive program will connect you to local non-profit organizations like Habitat for Humanity via paid internships. You will work on your leadership skills, become more socially aware, and develop an understanding of the dynamics of nonprofit organizations. You will also go to Washington, D.C., for the all-expenses-paid National Student Leaders Summit, which will give you an understanding of how non-profits work with local governments and businesses. You can apply here. To learn more about this program, check out our full guide here.
Location: Students are placed within 45 minutes commute of their home
Cost: $3,000 stipend
Dates: Usually 8 weeks and 32 hours per week. Start and end dates are determined by the student and mentor
Application Deadline: January 19
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16; must be residents of the US, Canada, Mexico, or Puerto Rico.
This program, sponsored by the American Fisheries Society, was created to inculcate an interest in aquatic sciences and fisheries among underrepresented groups. The program will pay you a stipend and provide an all-expenses-paid trip to the Hutton Scholars Summit. You may work in a lab, on a boat, in a field, or in an office. Depending on your project, work could include electrofishing, water quality testing, taking fish population surveys, and more. Apply here. To learn more about this program, check out our complete guide here.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $17 per hour
Dates: November 4-June 30, 8 -10 hours per week
Application Deadline: October 1
Eligibility: Current juniors and seniors in high school
If you are interested in career planning and higher education, this program is for you. The Delaware Student Success internship program at the DHEO (Delaware Higher Education Office) allows students to help redesign how students in Delaware learn about career pathways and education options after high school. This year-long paid internship will give you a glimpse of all aspects of the DHEO's work, including communications, administrative work, and policies. Interns will review and assess existing resources and support structures for students. You will help facilitate ‘Student Listening Tours’ to gather data to understand the prevalent practices amongst students in Delaware for career exploration.
Location: Organizations in the state of Delaware
Cost: Not specified
Dates: TBA
Application Deadline: TBA
Eligibility: Must be a student at a high school, university, or graduate school
This Academy works with educational institutions across the state. Interacting with students from diverse backgrounds, this internship provides opportunities to observe public health's role within Delaware. You will explore a current community-based public health issue, collect data from sources, identify gaps, and make inferences. Through this internship, you will learn to collect, present, and analyze qualitative and quantitative data. Identifying gaps and how to implement programs effectively will help you build your critical thinking skills. Previous internship topics can be found here.
Location: New Castle County or Dover area, depending on the department.
Cost: Stipend will be paid
Dates: 6-week long summer program, July 3-August 11 (depends on department)
Application Deadline: Details not provided
Eligibility: Open to high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who participate in the LYTE program.
The Future Leaders Internship Initiative (FLii) works to provide real-world opportunities to ambitious underrepresented high school students. If you want to explore careers within STEM, this is a program to consider. You will work directly within the Departments of Justice, Technology and Information, Labor, Transportation, Public Health, Agriculture, and Homeland Security, amongst others. You will undertake a case study developed by Leading Youth Through Empowerment (LYTE) Scholars and the Reed Development Group. You will attend workshops and seminars/talks by government speakers, professionals, and executives from the public and private sectors.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Stipend will be paid
Dates: TBA
Application Deadline: TBA
Eligibility: Open to juniors or seniors in high school.
If you are interested in careers in digital marketing, social media, and virtual community engagement, The Mary Miller Summer Program offers you a chance to go beyond the classroom through a paid internship. Scheduled activities, team projects, and working with senior leadership, such as the public health director, will help you build transferable skills. Tasks include assisting the team with social media projects, providing technical support, and creating posts and virtual engagement strategies. Interns are encouraged to find creative approaches to supplement existing virtual collaboration methods.
8. High School Fellowship Program by the United States District Court for the District of Delaware
Location: In-person in Delaware
Cost: stipend of $400 per week
Dates: 4 weeks, July 8-August 2
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors in New Castle County, Delaware, who are U.S. Citizens or Green Card holders.
This program is for students who want to pursue careers in law or within the judicial system. You will work within the chambers of Judges of the District Court and/or with federal employees who work within the Court. Along with attending court proceedings in both civil and criminal cases and meeting leaders within the Delaware legal framework, fellows will help with administrative tasks. You will be paired with a mentor from a local law firm based on your interest in law to discuss the internship and legal systems. The program culminates in a graduation ceremony.
Location: The Caesar Rodney Institute
Cost: No stipend, however in some cases, academic credit can be given
Dates: Flexible, keeping in mind the student’s schedule
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students in the U.S.
If you are interested in political science, public policy, economics, journalism, or similar subjects, this program is for you. This non-profit think-tank aims to protect the individual liberties of residents of Delaware. With a focus on current events, you will learn about public policy and its influence on local and state governments. Your responsibilities will include writing for publication, public policy research, minor editing of publications, event planning, and administrative tasks. The organization also provides details of seminars and scholarships for students invested in the principles of liberty. You can apply here.
Location: A Delaware State Park
Cost: Paid; $13.25 per hour
Dates: TBA
Application Deadline: TBA
Eligibility: Must be between 14-21 years of age to apply for the role of a Member
The Youth Conservation Corps allows students to focus on environmental conservation by participating in park projects. As a member, your tasks will range from administrative to restorative, including infrastructure work and daily coordination with your team and staff. Work will vary based on the park. You may get the opportunity to be part of resource management projects (such as with wildlife), work within historic preservation projects and water quality management, maintain trails, assist with litter cleanup, and help visitors to the park. You will also participate in educational and awareness programs at the park and experience the outdoor opportunities provided.
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4,000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.