Close Up Foundation – Washington, D.C. High School Program
A six-day, five-night in-person civics travel program in which students meet policymakers, attend live congressional committee hearings, tour monuments and museums, and take part in Mock Congress debates with peers from across the country.
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Project Citizen (Center for Civic Education)
A portfolio-based civic education project in which middle and high school students identify a local public policy problem, research it, and develop and present a public-policy proposal to classmates, community stakeholders, or local officials; California implementation is coordinated by the California We the People and Project Citizen network.
MyImpact Challenge (Bill of Rights Institute)
A national civic engagement contest for students ages 13-19 who are engaged in community service, volunteerism, or entrepreneurship; entrants submit their project through an online portal for a chance at a grand prize of up to $10,000. The 2026 submission deadline is May 3.
NAACP Youth Council
Local NAACP unit-affiliated councils providing civil-rights training and leadership development for members under 25; high school students can check whether a chapter exists at their school or work with a local adult NAACP unit to start one, engaging in advocacy and community activism.
National Teen Age Republicans (TARS)
The official teenage auxiliary of the Republican Party, open to students ages 13-18, operating for over 60 years through school- and community-based chapters led by students with an adult advisor; members do leadership development, voter education, campaign volunteering, and public speaking, and can attend the annual TAR Leadership Conference.
National Youth Rights Association (NYRA)
A youth-led civil and political rights organization (roughly 10,000 members) that challenges age-discriminatory laws, drafts and testifies on youth-rights legislation, and organizes through local chapters ("nodes"); students can volunteer, become members, or start a node in their community.
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) – District 5150
Free multi-day leadership camp for Bay Area HS students (Marin, SF, San Mateo) on citizenship, ethics, and community leadership.