Here are some great ideas and upcoming STEM events to explore this summer!
National Programs and Events
GirlCon 2026 Conferences
Join GirlCon’s free virtual tech conference for high school students on June 25-26. This annual event offers breakout sessions, professional development workshops, and keynote presentations from speakers across various companies and industries. Attendees can learn new skills and network with tech professionals. Get tickets. GirlCon Chicago will host a free in-person tech conference in Chicago on Saturday, June 27. Get tickets.
Congressional App Challenge
Registration for the annual Congressional App Challenge (CAC) is open. Every year, members of Congress across the country challenge students in their districts to create and submit original apps for a chance to win the CAC. The winners of the challenge are publicly recognized. To be eligible to participate in the Congressional App Challenge, you must be a middle or high school student at the time of app submission. Students may register individually or as part of a team of up to four. Students may compete in the district where they reside or in the district where they attend school. Students can register and submit their original apps through October 26, 2026. Register now.
GSK’s Science in the Summer Program
This year’s theme is “Be a Chemist.” Students will learn to solve real-world problems as different kinds of chemists, including cosmetic, forensic, materials, medicinal, and water chemists. Supported by GSK and offered in collaboration with The Franklin Institute, Science in the Summer is a free educational program designed to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. It provides children entering grades 2-6 with opportunities to explore science careers, think scientifically, practice authentic scientific techniques, and have fun. Visit the website to find programs in the Philadelphia area and programs nationwide.
Invent the Summer: Weekly STEM Challenges
Starting June 24, the nonprofit Invent the Summer will release a free weekly STEM challenge and offer a chance to win prizes throughout the summer for kids ages 12 and younger. Start by brainstorming a few solutions. Now design, experiment, and build. Learn how the challenges work.
Wacom Creativity Camp
Wacom is offering a free Creativity Camp designed to help kids stay creative, engaged, and inspired this summer while learning how to draw like the pros. Held live via Zoom every Wednesday from July 8-29, the camp is led by artist Alex Neonakis, a freelance concept artist and illustrator who has worked on The Last of Us Part II and illustrated children’s books. The sessions give young creators a fun, low-pressure way to explore digital art, character drawing, and storytelling. Participants do not need a digital device to participate, making it an easy and accessible summer resource for families looking to turn screen time into creative time. Wacom will also be giving away a free tablet during each session.
Kids Markets- Summer Project Idea!
Kids Markets help kids age 5-17 launch a business and sell real products for real money at a local event in your community. Kids markets are like farmers’ markets where kids are the creators, vendors, and business owners. There are Kids Markets located around the country. Browse markets and learn how they work. Young entrepreneurs are given an actual storefront where they learn life skills in a free-market setting and get to keep their profits.
Girls Who Code: Pathways Program
Girls Who Code’s free virtual Pathways program is now accepting applications from high school girls and non-binary students for this fall. In this virtual self-paced program, you can explore topics like AI, Game Design, Data Science, Cybersecurity, and Web Development all at your own pace. Ready to apply? Submit the brief application at girlswhocode.com/pathwaysapply. Apply by June 26 and you’ll be entered for a chance to win headphones. See official rules. Curious to learn more? Join an upcoming webinar or reach out to [email protected].
Featured Programs in Massachusetts
MIT Museum: STEAM Adventures Week
Students ages 12-15 (entering 7th-9th grade) can attend the MIT Museum for one or more week-long design challenges this summer. The topics include digital fabrication and biomaterials. Registration is required.
Summer Science Weeks at the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture
Dive into a week of discovery at Harvard Museums of Science & Culture’s Summer Science Weeks. Each program is taught by a professional educator and serves a maximum of 15 students. Based in one of the museum classrooms, students work independently and in groups to examine museum specimens, conduct experiments, create crafts, explore museum galleries, play games, and have fun! $235 members/ $260 nonmembers. For children entering grades 1-8. Register today.
Summer Planetarium Series
Christa McAuliffe Center and Framingham State University Planetarium have published their Summer Planetarium Series for July-August. Experience a wide range of live weekly planetarium shows and breathtaking fulldome films. Purchase tickets.
TiE Boston’s TYE Entrepreneurship Academy
Dreaming of launching your own startup? Want to work with a team to build a business from idea to pitch—with expert mentors, real-world workshops, and a chance to win cash prizes? TiE Boston’s Young Entrepreneurs (TYE) Academy is now accepting applications. This immersive, project-based entrepreneurship program runs from mid-October through spring and meets 12 Saturdays (typically every other Saturday, 10 AM–3 PM in Kendall Square). High school students in grades 9–12 who are interested in entrepreneurship, STEM, or business are eligible to apply. Prior experience not required! The program guides teams through building a real startup from idea to pitch, with hands-on workshops covering design thinking, finance, marketing, and more. Participants are mentored by startup founders and industry professionals, and can compete for seed funding ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars in cash prizes — with top teams earning the chance to represent Boston at the Global TYE Competition. Apply or learn more here: www.tye-boston.org.
August Adventures in Massachusetts
Each summer, the Highland Street Foundation sponsors August Adventures, a program that gives families and individuals free access to Massachusetts’ diverse arts, culture, and nature destinations — including museums, parks, farms, and zoos. Throughout August, a different site opens to the public at no cost every day.
Calendar of Massachusetts Events
June 13: It’s Crunchy Critters: Teen Saturdays Workshop! Guided by guest speaker, insect enthusiast, and bilingual educator Javier Marin, participants will visit the Harvard Museum of Natural History galleries to learn about different species and their habitats. An insect snack will be available for those brave enough to try. Teen Saturdays Workshops are offered bilingually in Spanish and English.Cost: $10. Registration is required.
June 13: Join Harvard scientist Jack Sheehan for Science Spotlights: Building a Planet from the Inside Out at the Harvard Museum of Natural History. Discover how researchers recreate the extreme conditions of Earth’s interior in the lab to uncover how our planet formed and continues to evolve. Recommended for ages 10 and up. Regular museum admission rates apply.
June 21: Join the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture on the longest day of the year for Summer Solstice Celebration 2026: Night at the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture—free of charge—to explore the galleries and new exhibitions. Step outdoors to enjoy live music and performers, play lawn games, and make a flower crown. Ice cream, beverages, and food will be available for purchase from food trucks. Don’t miss out on this popular event for all ages!
July 10: The Discovery Museum in Acton is hosting the 2nd annual Nature Play Festival from 10am-4pm, a free event for all! Explore the inclusive, accessible, and giant Treehouse and Discovery Woods nature playscape; take a guided nature walk on the conservation land that abuts the campus; hunt for bugs; make paper; and so much more. The fun will continue indoors with STEM-based galleries and hands-on activities. There will be NO parking onsite during the Festival.
