Bay Area high school students are encouraged to apply for the Norman Mineta Bay Area Summer Academy, a paid program that introduces Bay Area high school students to public sector career pathways through exposure to regional policy issues such as transportation planning, housing and air quality management through interactive sessions. Slots are limited, and the application window will close on Sunday, April 27.
This paid program offers high school students the opportunity to learn from several of the Bay Area’s regional government agencies: the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), and the Bay Area Air District (Air District).
High school students will attend weekly, expert-led online seminars and learn how regional agencies deal with issues like environmental justice, housing and transportation equity, community health and social justice.
Required program sessions will be held over Zoom on Thursdays in July, starting on July 3. Sessions will last approximately two hours each. The bulk of the program's seminars are being held online to lower barriers to student participation.
Additionally, there will be an optional, in-person capstone event at the Bay Area Metro Center in San Francisco on Friday, August 1, where students can compete for prizes for the top capstone presentation.
Students who complete the entire Bay Area Summer Academy program will be given a stipend and a completion certificate to include in college, vocational and/or job applications.
During weekly seminars, students learn:
- What regional agencies do, and the skills needed for a future career in the public sector.
- How to weigh in on decisions that impact the air we breathe, the neighborhoods we live in, how we get to work and school, spaces for exercise, and other factors that shape the health of our communities.
- How to have a voice in making decisions that benefit their communities.
- How to answer questions like: How long is a bridge supposed to last? Why are there so many potholes? Why does housing cost so much? Is the sea level really rising in the Bay Area?
Students will attend online sessions, complete quizzes, and at the end of the program, make a brief presentation on a local challenge involving transportation, housing, environmental justice and/or related topics.
To apply for the Bay Area Summer Academy, students must:
- Live in the Bay Area and attend a local high school.
- Be at least 15 years old and have completed the ninth grade by the beginning of the Academy.
- Be able to attend online seminars and present on a topic related to the seminars.
- Have the permission of a parent or guardian to participate, if the student is under 18 years old.
Enrollment is limited, and selections will emphasize a diversity of perspectives from students across the Bay Area. Grade point averages are not considered.
Learn more and apply for the Academy.
The Bay Area Summer Academy is named for Norman Mineta, a public servant who dedicated his life to making the Bay Area better. Mineta was a San Jose City Council member and mayor, represented the South Bay in Congress, and served as the U.S. Secretary of Transportation. Throughout his accomplished life, he cared deeply about creating educational and career avenues for the next generation of public servants. MTC is proud to honor his memory by inspiring youth to become public servants.
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