YES! Teen Internship Program

Since its inception in 2010, the Youth Engagement through Science (YES!) program has connected local youth with Smithsonian collections, experts, and training to inspire them to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. This internship experience provides youth from communities traditionally underrepresented in science careers with the resources needed to help them to achieve their ultimate goal of attending college. Over six weeks in the summer, students who participate in YES! work side-by-side with Smithsonian researchers and educators behind the scenes and away from the public areas of the Museum. Interns enhance their scientific literacy through workshops and field trips, and are given the unique opportunity to work in the Museum’s vast research collections — seeing rare objects and specimens including meteorites, mummies, and mammoth skulls!

In mid-August, YES! interns rejoin us for a series of science communication and college preparation workshops that take place over eight Saturdays. Interns gain the science communication skills to translate their summer research into a compelling, personal, and authentic science story for the general public. This science story will be filmed, edited, and produced into a finished video product that can be used for college, scholarship, and job applications. Interns also participate in college preparation workshops that will guide them through the college application and orientation process. Sessions led by college admission officers, financial planners, and YES! alumni will cover everything from surviving senior year to seeking out scholarships. Multiple tours to local colleges will be offered to help interns prepare for their pursuit of higher learning.

The Youth Engagement through Science program aims to form a bridge between the Smithsonian Institution and students interested in STEM careers by providing new avenues for them to understand and participate in scientific pursuits at the next level.

Youth Engagement through Science (YES!) Is a Three-Part Program — Participants must complete all 3 program components.

1. Summer Session: 6 weeks, Monday through Friday, June 27 - August 5, 2022, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
2. Saturday Sessions: 8 weeks, Saturdays only, August 13 - October 1, 2022, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
3. Reach 100: Interns tasked to reach 100 of their peers, October 2 - November 4, 2022

Summer Session Components (June 27 - August 5)

Component 1: Career Immersion

• Science Internship. Interns work in pairs on a hands-on project led by a Smithsonian science mentor at the National Museum of Natural History, National Zoological Park, or Smithsonian Gardens. Projects cover a wide range of scientific disciplines and interns experience first-hand what it’s like to conduct research at the Smithsonian. Interns discover what goes on behind-the-scenes at a natural history museum, and learn how their project contributes to the Smithsonian’s overall research goals. 
• Behind-the-Scenes Tours, Field Trips, Guest Speakers and Science Workshops. As part of the YES! program, interns experience the vast scope of the Smithsonian Institution through behind-the scenes tours and field trips to some of the Institution’s museums and research centers in the area. In addition, guest speakers from our science community speak with our students about their work and lead interactive, hands-on science workshops. 

Component 2: Communicating Science

• Communicating Science to Public Audiences: Interns work with the Museum’s Education and Outreach staff to learn how science is communicated to the public. Participants engage in interactive workshops covering various skills, including oral and written communication and research presentations. Interns are provided with guidelines and opportunities to communicate as real-world professionals.
• Community Day: On the last day of the summer program, the interns use their newly acquired science communication skills to present the results of the projects they worked on with their science mentors. This event allows the Smithsonian community and museum visitors to view the students’ projects and learn more about their summer experience.

Saturday Sessions
 (Saturdays, August 13 - October 1)

Component 1: College Preparation

• Practical College Preparation: NMNH collaborates with Program Directors, Academic Advisors, and Deans of Undergraduate Studies at colleges and universities in the DC metropolitan area to discuss making the transition from high school to college. Through a college panel, interns learn about applications, scholarships, practices of successful students, choosing a major, and how to best find a place in the campus community. In addition, YES! alumni who are in college or have graduated from college are invited to NMNH to act as mentors for the existing cohort of YES! interns through college preparatory discussions, panels, and electives.
• College Visits: During the Saturday Sessions, interns visit a few college campuses in the Washington, D.C., area to speak with admissions counselors, meet current students, and explore their campuses. Interns are required to attend at least two of the three college visits. 

Component 2: Science Communication

• For six Saturdays, interns engage in our science communication curriculum which teaches them how to translate their summer research into a compelling, personal, and authentic science story for the general public. This science story is filmed, edited, and produced into a finished video product that can be used for college, scholarship, and job applications. DCTV, a local television production company, partners with YES! interns to run development workshops, film and edit, and also broadcast the videos.

Reach 100 (October 2 - November 4)

Between October 2 and November 4, YES! interns participate in a “Reach 100” initiative. Every intern is tasked to reach at least 100 peers through the Reach 100 Initiative. This allows interns to serve as multipliers, increasing the effectiveness of our efforts to become a relevant place for young people to explore their science interests and gain the skills and experience necessary for science careers. Reach 100 presentations can take place at the interns’ schools, after school programs, and/or community centers. Interns will also have the option to present at “Intern is In” sessions organized by Youth Programs staff, where they will discuss their research with visitors to Q?rius, The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center at the National Museum of Natural History.

Please take a look at some of the past YES! intern project descriptions. Please note that these are intern project descriptions from past years; they do not reflect what is available for the current year of YES! programming.

Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humans and their societies in the past and present. Through the lens of cultural anthropology, YES! interns explored the way humans interact with objects both historically and in the present. 

Humans communicate directly and indirectly through a range of media: shell adornments, drums, telegraph, even smartphones. Working with anthropology collections from around the world, YES! interns mapped the properties of different objects (what objects are made out of, who made them, etc.), and thought critically about how these objects worked in their own contexts to communicate a range of values and meanings. Investigating this broad span of technology, interns also helped research how they and their peers use smartphones. This work helped to tease out the cultural particularities of our present media moment, and shed light on the diverse ways humans have communicated in the past.

Botany
Botanical collections give glimpses of the past, offer knowledge of the present, and help make predictions about a species’ future well-being. Historically, botanical collections were used mainly for identifying new species, and to provide an inventory of species in specific environments. With improved technological advances, botanists can identify plant species using DNA and determine plant family trees.

YES! interns worked with lichens, unique composite organisms that are the result of symbiotic relationships between fungi and algae. Interns handled pressed lichen specimens and dried tissue samples, learned techniques to identify lichens, utilized curatorial practices, extracted lichen DNA, and performed various molecular analyses.

Collections
The Smithsonian Institution holds the largest collection of natural history specimens in the world, with approximately 155 million items, 145 million of which are at the National Museum of Natural History. 

YES! interns assisted with the Collections Program in the conservation of some of these specimens. Interns developed an understanding of: preventive conservation approaches for the care of museum collections; the ethics and guidelines of practice for the conservation profession; and ways to safely handle specimens. Interns assisted staff from the conservation department as they documented the condition of museum objects and conducted minor treatments. Interns assisted with research into paleontological fossil preparation techniques and fluid preserved specimen preservation techniques.

Entomology 
With over 35 million specimens housed at the National Museum of Natural History, the National Insect Collection is one of the largest entomological collections in the world. 

YES! interns learned how to care for luna moths (Actias luna) and polyphemus moths (Antheraea polyphemus), from hatching to the adult stage of development, and received a hands-on understanding of the complete metamorphosis these insects undergo. Interns obtained fresh leaves, took measurements, and recorded changes throughout the life cycle in order to fully understand the development of these moths. In addition to mastering concepts of basic biology, interns took part in preservation and dissection of specimens, and assisted with engaging visitors at the museum’s Butterfly Pavilion.

Smithsonian Gardens
Smithsonian Gardens provides and manages over 180 acres of outdoor gardens as well as 13 public exhibition gardens often called the Smithsonian’s “museum without walls.” Through these public gardens and outdoor exhibits, staff engage people with plants and the role that gardens play in our cultural and natural worlds.
 
Smithsonian Gardens’ Tree Collection consists of nearly 1,800 native and non-native trees planted around the Smithsonian Institution museums on the National Mall, the Anacostia Community Museum, and the Support Center in Suitland, Maryland. YES! Interns spent the summer working with the living collections team to inventory, document, measure and assist with a professional photography project related to the Tree Collection. Interns were outdoors much of the time, and given the nature of their work, they sometimes got a little dirty. Interns also assisted with plant management and spent some time speaking with public audiences, helping to inspire appreciation and stewardship of the outdoors.

National Zoo
The National Zoo has a long history of innovation and leadership in the care and exhibition of wild animals. Today, the exhibits are more than just places within the Zoo, they include educational and scientific programs both on-site and around the world. Interns were Animal Keeper Aides at the National Zoological Park. This included learning about the Zoo’s conservation efforts, and helping with public engagement. 

YES! interns assisted with husbandry, including food preparation and upkeep of enclosures at Amazonia, and with the Lions and Cheetahs. They also helped zoo staff with enrichment preparation and behavior watches, and with various other projects around the exhibits.

Paleobiology
The shells of microscopic fossils have accumulated on the world’s seafloor for many millions of years. Different microfossil species can be identified using characteristics of their shells and species identifications can help determine the age of the sediment they occur in. Abrupt shifts in species composition may indicate major changes in the ocean environment. 

Working with a collection of microfossils called foraminifera that were obtained from beneath the ocean floor in sediments that are more than 94 million years old, YES! interns used microscopes to measure how their shape changed across millions of years of their evolution. Because interns worked with microfossils they had to pay close attention to detail and practice patience when handling the specimens. Research that was collected over the summer helped to better characterize the timing and rate of evolutionary change of the species studied.

Vertebrate Zoology
Vertebrate Zoology includes the study of fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. This department at the museum holds the largest collection of vertebrate specimens in the world. 

Interns learned how frog skeletons vary among ~7,000 species of frogs and toads and tested how these skeletal changes allowed frogs and toads to adapt to various lifestyles and habitats. YES! interns used computer software to generate 3D models of frog skeletons from microCT image data, measured those skeletons in 3D using a range of techniques, and compared those measured skeletons among species. Interns were able to explore their own hypotheses for why skeletons may have evolved in relation to differences in where species live and how they move around their habitat (digging, climbing, walking, etc.). Through this project, YES! interns generated new skeletal data from museum specimens and make a lasting contribution for future research.

Who can apply?

Anyone who meets the requirements is eligible to apply. Applicants must:

• Be students who are between the ages of 14 and 19, currently enrolled in 9th through 11th grade and live in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region.
• Be U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents.
• Attend a local high school (public, private, independent, or homeschool co-op) in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region (DC, MD or VA).
• Be in good academic standing.
• Participate in both the summer and fall sessions of the program.
• Be interested in science or cultural studies as a potential career path.

Do I have to live in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area in order to apply?

Yes, you must currently reside in the DC metro area and be enrolled in a local high school.

I spend my summers with extended family in the District, Maryland or Virginia. Am I eligible to apply?

You must be a resident of the DC area to apply. The YES! program is designed to provide opportunities for students in our local community.

I am currently a senior in high school; can I apply?
Unfortunately, the program is open only to students who are currently in 9th through 11th grade.

I am currently in the 8th grade and will be in 9th grade next year; can I apply?

You must be a current freshman, sophomore, or junior in high school in order to apply.

What are the program dates?
For 2022, the program dates are:

Summer Session: 6 weeks, Monday through Friday, June 27 - August 5, 2022, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
YES! interns will work on science research projects with Smithsonian research scientists and science staff. They will also receive training and mentoring in communication skills and will go on behind-the-scenes tours and field trips to other Smithsonian locations.

Saturday Sessions: 8 weeks, Saturdays only
August 13 - October 1, 2022, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Interns will participate in college preparation workshops and college visits, and will develop a TED-like presentation about their science experience in the YES! Program. 

Reach 100
Between October 2 and November 4, YES! interns will participate in a “Reach 100” initiative, where they will be tasked to give their presentations to their school community and peers.

I only want to do the summer session; is that possible?
If selected for our program, you are required to participate in the Summer Session, 8 Saturday sessions in late summer/early fall, plus Reach 100. If you cannot take part in the full program, we must retract your invitation and offer it to another applicant.

Is there an application process?

Yes! To be considered for the YES! Program applicants must submit a completed application. A complete application includes:

• Application Form    
• Application Survey 
• Required Essays 
• Two Letters of Recommendation 

All application components and instructions are included on the YES! Application PDF. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. 

Who can submit a letter of recommendation on my behalf?
Letters of recommendation should be submitted by teachers, mentors, counselors, and/or community leaders using the Letter of Recommendation Form provided with the YES! Application. We recommend that one letter come from a science teacher. Letters of recommendation should not be submitted by family or friends.

How do I submit my application?
Please submit your application via the email or mail addresses listed on the application. Applications dropped off at the museum will not be accepted.

How are students selected for the program? I think I have enough qualifications to consider myself a top candidate.
We require a lot of input from our applicants in the form of application forms, surveys, essays, and recommendations. Our Review Committee assesses all the input from the applicants and ranks students according to specific criteria. This process requires two rounds of internal reviews, plus a third interview round with the applicant. Approximately 20 percent of the applicant pool will be invited to the interview round, and final selection is made after these applicants are interviewed by the YES! Program staff.

Engineering is my forte. Do I qualify?

While engineering is important in many types of science and research, no mentors from this discipline are available. We are a museum of the Natural Sciences and Cultural Studies. Please see our Projects section for the areas of concentration we offer.

I want to study biology with the hopes of a medical career. Can I participate in the program?

As with engineering, medicine is an important scientific discipline, but it is primarily an “applied” science, and the emphasis at the National Museum of Natural History is research. We are a museum of the Natural Sciences and Cultural Studies. Please see our Projects section for the areas of concentration we offer.

How much does the program cost?

There is absolutely no cost to participants for this program.

Is there a stipend for the program?

Yes, there is a $2,500 stipend awarded to students.

Is transportation provided to and from the site?

Transportation is not provided; you must arrange your own transportation.

Is food provided?

No, you must bring your own food or be prepared to purchase food onsite at our staff cafeteria.

How many hours per week is YES!?
Thirty to forty hours per week for the summer session. Our summer session runs Monday through Friday; students should expect a full day’s worth of activities. We start our day at 9:00 a.m. and conclude by 4:00 p.m. Our fall session occurs on Saturdays, with the typical day beginning at 9:00 a.m. and concluding at 4:00 p.m., but some days may be longer or shorter due the distance of college visits. Accepted applicants will be provided a detailed program schedule at orientation. 

What does a typical day look like as a part of the program?


The summer session consists of:

• Internship project days
• Communication training
• Public interpretation training
• Field trips
• Behind-the-Scenes tours
• Guest speakers

These components are integrated into our program schedule throughout the course of the six weeks.  

The fall session consists of:

• College preparatory classes
• Science communication classes and filming
• College visits

Contact Information:
Youth Programs Staff at: youthnmnh@si.edu (link sends e-mail), 202-633-4588