Community Teen Interns

How to qualify for the program

The Community Teen Intern program is designed for high school students in grades 11-12 in the Science Center’s immediate geographic community, as a way for students who have graduated from our Hands-On Science Summer Camp Scholarship or Young Curators Programs to continue their science learning journey with the California Science Center.

This program asks interns to devote time to the California Science Center, so to make sure that this program does not detract from important class work from high school, interns and prospective applicants must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA. Additionally, because this program requires interns to become employees of the California Science Center Foundation, interns must be able to work in the United States.

A Science Center educator holds a Madagascar hissing cockroach for a young boy to examine
Image attribution
Nathan Alexander

What do I do?

Our Community Teen Interns are part of the Education Department, working directly with our Community Partners to deliver virtual and in-person programming. Their core job – and indeed, it is a job! - is to help connect science to people’s lives through hands-on science activities.

In their own words, they are here to excite people about science! 

Application

The Community Teen Intern program is a job. Because of that, interested high school students will need to apply for this program. The program is really competitive—generally less than 10% of applicants are placed in the program.

Currently, applications have closed for the 2022-23 school year. Information on the next year will be available near the end of August 2023.

Qualifications

  • Must be a currently enrolled high school sophomore, junior, or senior (classes of 2023, 2024, 2025) with a minimum 2.0 grade point average.
  • Ability to work 10 hours a week during the school year and 35 hours a week during the summer.
  • Ability to work weekends and school holidays starting October 1st, 2022.
  • Applicants from a one mile radius of the California Science Center preferred.
  • Comfort with public speaking preferred, but not required.
  • Ability to follow directions and be a team player.
  • Ability to work independently and interdependently.
  • Positive, enthusiastic attitude and eagerness to learn.
Community Program Pipeline
Hands-On Science Camp (TK-5th)
Scholarships for qualifying students
Young Curators (6th-8th)
School year and summer programs
Community Teen Interns (10th-12th)
Paid intern program teaching science

Effectiveness/evaluative efforts

Goals of the Community Teen Intern Program for our interns are:

  • Maintaining a highly positive measured attitude toward science.
  • Demonstrating a more complex definition and construct of science.
  • Fostering self-esteem.
  • Making science learning relevant to the interns’ lives.
  • Using informal science education as a vehicle to build skills for academic achievement in all disciplines.
  • Preparing students for the workforce and college by focusing on communication and leadership skills.
  • Stimulating lifelong learning.

Testimonials

This program has helped me become more confident with my own voice. I used to be a very shy person but this program has helped me realize that we can all learn from each other if we are willing to share our knowledge with one another.

3rd Year Intern

[This program] Made me more responsible. I had many plans come up during the summer but I knew I had a priority and it was to work. So I think that made me more of a responsible person.

2nd Year Intern