• Wake Forest College Prep Summer Courses

    Are there subjects you’re thinking about taking in college but would like to know more about? The Online Immersion Program, designed for high school students ages 13 and up, has been created for this purpose. It offers exciting topics, covered in-depth, through online coursework led by Wake Forest University professors. The program is available year-round, and the online format allows you to study anywhere, anytime, while working at your own pace. This flexibility enables you to take multiple courses and explore a variety of academic areas of interest. 

    View more details

     

  • 2026 Sister Cities International Youth Leadership Summit (YLS):

    Raleigh Sister Cities is inviting Raleigh students ages 14–18 to apply for a full or matching scholarship for the 2026 Sister Cities International Youth Leadership Summit (YLS), taking place June 21–27, 2026, in Washington, D.C. The Youth Leadership Summit is a week-long leadership experience for students ages 14–18, focused on global engagement, citizen diplomacy, and leadership development. Participants engage in workshops, cultural activities, and a hands-on diplomacy simulation at the U.S. Department of State while connecting with peers from across the United States and the world.

    Raleigh Sister Cities provides required guidance and endorsement for students applying to the Summit. Students must receive this endorsement to apply through the Sister Cities International portal and to be considered for full or matching scholarships. Students who wish to receive additional information of how to apply should email president@raleighsistercities.org with the subject line: "Information Request for YLS."

    Key Dates:

    • Raleigh Sister Cities request deadline: January 21, 2026

    • Selected students notified: January 25, 2026

    • Official YLS application deadline: February 1, 2026

       

    Eligibility:

    • Ages 14–18 at the time of the Summit

    • Available to attend the full program (June 21–27, 2026)

    • Parent/guardian consent required for students under 18

    • International students welcome but responsible for their own travel and visas

    • Must receive guidance and endorsement from Raleigh Sister Cities to apply

    Program Information:

    • Summit fee: $1,995 (lodging, cultural activities, programming, and local transportation)

    • Travel to/from Washington, D.C. not included

    • Payment due within two weeks of acceptance

    • Fees non-refundable once processed, though exceptions may be considered

    • Limited full and matching scholarships are available based on financial need from Raleigh Sister Cities

    For more information about the Youth Leadership Summit, visit:
    https://sistercities.org/what-we-do/programs/yls/

     

  • Summer 2026 Pre-College Programs at UNC Asheville is now open! Check out these on-campus opportunities. Limited space is available, and early registration is encouraged. 

    Each Pre-College Program will run from Sunday to Friday, with topics spanning the arts and sciences. Participants will live on-campus to fully experience university life and the surrounding Asheville community. The program cost, which starts at $1,460, includes lodging, meals, course materials, activities and excursions. 

    Dates for our Summer 2026 Pre-College Programs are June 14-19 and June 21-26, with several programs offered across both weeks. Topics include:

    • App Development & Foundations of Coding

    • Ceramic Pottery

    • Creative Writing:  Great Smokies Young Writers Workshop

    • Engineering & Mechatronics

    • Film Scoring & Sound Design

    • Game Design & AI

    • Geology & Adventure

    • Meteorology

    • Music Composition and Songwriting

    • Pre-Med

    • River Ecology & Adventure

    • Wildlife Wonders: Appalachian Zoology

    For more information or to register, visit unca.edu/precollege. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at precollege@unca.edu or 828.251.6960.

     
  • MoMUNtum Program at UNC Chapel Hill:
     
    MoMUNtum was founded in June 2020 at UNC Chapel Hill, and is expanding our mission to establish a summer camp on our campus for high schoolers interested in Model United Nations!
     
    In case you are not familiar, Model United Nations (also known as Model UN or simply ‘MUN’) is an increasingly popular extracurricular activity in which students take on the role of international actors, representing countries as delegates to the United Nations or other political bodies, and debate solutions to global issues within committees. To participate, students (delegates) research their country and topic and compete as a school team (delegation) at conferences hosted by universities. At the end of each conference, outstanding delegates and delegations are recognized with awards of excellence. 
     
    Model United Nations is widely recognized as an intellectually rigorous extracurricular activity which fosters skills in research, writing, and public speaking while also cultivating strong competencies in leadership, critical thinking, and teamwork. MUN provides a unique opportunity for students to grow intellectually, compete as a team, and gain recognition for their abilities. Alongside the lifelong memories and friends made, I cannot emphasize enough how instrumental the skills and confidence we gained during my tenure as a high school delegate were in applying to and now excelling at my chosen university. 
     
    Recognizing the deep education and leadership value of MUN, moMUNtum wants to extend the opportunity to participate to even more students. This summer, we are hosting a summer camp in Chapel Hill to teach students at any level of experience about Model UN. We were hoping you could share the following link with parents and students with an interest form for the camp, which can be found at this link or the accompanying QR code: https://forms.gle/nxhMVTsB2ZZ3Egoa9  
     
  • LeadWISER Mentorship Conference
     
    This school year, we are excited to host the second annual LeadWISER Mentorship Conference, which includes a 9-week virtual mentorship program for high school students. Participants will work closely with Duke student mentors to develop a research project and community-based initiative on a topic of their choice, including but not limited to sustainability, women’s health, education or public policy. The program will culminate in an in-person poster presentation and leadership conference in late March/early April.
     
    We are currently accepting rolling applications from high school students for the mentorship program, which begins on January 18th. All high school students are welcome to apply. Our application deadline is January 7th at 11:59 pm. I am reaching out to ask if you could share the attached informational flyer, FAQ doc, and application link with students at your school who might be interested in this opportunity!
     
     
     
     

  • About the Lady Cardinal Mentorship Program

    The Lady Cardinal Mentorship is a 4-week summer enrichment opportunity for North Carolina high school girls, grades 9-12, interested in exploring careers in science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics within state government.

    Started in 2019 based on recommendations from the 2018 Status of Women in NC Report, the mentorship program is part of the state’s initiative to reduce the growing disparity in employment and earnings among women and men in North Carolina, particularly in STEM-based careers.

    What You Can Expect

    • 40 hour work week (Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.)
      • 24 hours in placement site working side by side with women leaders
      • 16 hours working on a group project
    • $1,700 stipend at end of mentorship
    • Lunch & Learns each week with women leaders across state agencies
    • Opportunities to visit various state government agencies through field trips
    • NOTE: The program does not provide housing to participants

  • Project Uplift 2026

    On behalf of the Carolina Higher Education Opportunity Programs (CHEOP) office, we're excited to share details about Project Uplift and Uplift Plus 2026!  

    Project Uplift and Uplift PLUS are summer enrichment and college access programs designed to promote and increase access to higher education for rising high school seniors. We welcome interest from any student across North Carolina.

    Project Uplift flyer 

     

  • Opportunities for Teens at Oberlin Road Public Library

    Please check out these events and opportunities for teens with Wake County Public Libraries. 
     
    I am also recruiting for our Teen Leadership Corps program. Teens in grades 6th - 10th are invited to apply for this program. I will be hosting an orientation on Thursday, January 15 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. A flyer, application and commitment form are also attached to this email.
     
    Thanks for your time and consideration. Please reach out if you have any questions.
     
     

    Julia Palko (She/Her)

    Youth Services Librarian

    Wake County Government 

    Community Services/Libraries

    julia.palko@wake.gov

    919-856-6710 (office)

    Oberlin Regional Library

    1930 Clark Ave, Raleigh, NC  27605

    wake.gov/libraries

  • Ideas for Community Engagement Hours

    • Do you belong to or live near a church, mosque, synagogue? All of these organizations are non-profits. Approach the administrative staff and ask if they have volunteer work you can do.
    • Other Non-Profit Agencies in the Area include Salvation Army Soup Line, Bargain Box, Cameron Village Library, The Food Bank of NC, Wake Relief at St. Saviour's, The Green Chair Project, Raleigh Rescue Mission, Interact, Saving Grace, Step-Up Ministries and many more! 

    Community Engagement Opportunities