Summer Programs

At this program, students will have the chance to engage directly with their community by learning local history through hands-on research, creative storytelling, and real-world experiences as students tour guides. They will work alongside artists, historians, and community partners to produce projects that reflect their voices and cultures, while gaining practical skills in leadership, communication, and workforce readiness.

The After School Arts Program (ASAP) provides professional guidance and mentorship to students (14-17) interested in filmmaking at the intersection of journalism. ASAP students won “Best students Film” at the Roxbury International Film Festival (2024), a short film students developed during summer 2023, and is currently launching Boston’s first students led magazine.

At this program, students will have the chance to engage with their peers, encouraged and guided by our teen leadership counselors to build and foster healthy interpersonal skills. Students will also have the chance to learn new physical skills through our various daily physical actives such as dance, basketball, yoga, kickball, obstacle courses.

Art Heals is a safe, creative space where students can explore healing and self-expression through art. Students explore various forms of art to share their feelings, process experiences, and tell their stories.

A-VOYCE grounds the program in Boston Chinatown’s built environment and its history, serving as a marker for connecting and reconnecting young people to the neighborhood. Our program is unique in that we work together with local artists, engage with residents, and collaborate with community partners on creative anti-displacement projects.

We empower students through basketball, teaching life skills, leadership, and social-emotional growth. Our program supports diverse students, including multilingual learners, SLIFE students, and those facing adversity.

At this program, students will have the chance to learn life skills such as budgeting and financial literacy, work readiness skills, and the importance of civic participation and community engagement. They will engage in group discussions with peers and mentors and learn about healthy relationships and violence prevention.

At this program, students will have the chance to be part of a community that students consistently describe as a family. BTO’s mentors are trusted adults who show up not just as instructors but as advocates and a consistent source of support.

At this program, students will have the chance to engage in a unique, multifaceted learning experience that uses wrestling and sport as the foundation for broader personal and academic development. By anchoring all programming in an activity students already love, we create a powerful entry point for building leadership, communication, and technical skills.

At this program, students will have the chance to demystify the STEAM fields and foster a recognition of STEAM concepts in our everyday environment. Students will learn about and engage BIPOC pioneers and professionals currently in the STEAM fields—seeing themselves in STEAM careers.

Students who learn by doing, and who thrive in hands-on, experiential environments, are often left behind in traditional educational settings. Bikes Not Bombs (BNB) provides practical work experience, helping students of all backgrounds and aptitudes develop critical skills and relationships that pave the way for economic success – a key predictor of long-term social, emotional, and physical well-being.

Blast off into learning with BAA’s AVANCE STEAM Program! Designed for students in grades K-6, our hand’s on STEAM program takes young explorers on an exciting journey through the planets and beyond.

BCNC Red Oak Summer Program provides licensed, high-quality, culturally and linguistically competent education and care. We are uniquely positioned to serve primarily Asian immigrant families, with bilingual Chinese-English staff who reflect students’ cultural backgrounds.

At this program, students will have the chance to explore an essential question through debate, choose electives like theater, sports, or advocacy, and engage with guest speakers and field trips. Campers build public speaking and research skills, connect with peers from across the city, and get a head start on the debate season. With guidance from BDL alumni and coaches, students explore evidence on a debate topic, build relationships in Learning Labs, and develop their argument skills—whether they’re beginners or advanced. Debate Camp offers a safe, supportive space where all students are encouraged to find and use their voice. We love to work with students who love to argue and help channel that into a valuable skill for future pursuits.

BE’s mission is to help children develop a sense of mastery and autonomy, along with a sense of wonder about the world around them. We model a broader literacy- of geography and nature; of neighborhoods, history, and culture-and opportunities for campers to fuel their curiosity, inspire one another, and foster citizenship. We intentionally focus on opportunities that contribute to the development of positive youth outcomes while including youth choice and voice. We solicit their feedback and give them opportunities to decide on and take command of camp expeditions, guided by their enthusiasm and imagination. Whatever neighborhood they come from, by the end of the session, kids feel that the entirety of Boston is their city.