Enrichment Programs | Atlanta
In addition to Geeks Rule, Atlanta is home to various STEM-focused enrichment programs, including after school organizations, summer programs, and competitions where students can continue exploring their passion for STEM. These programs provide hands-on learning experiences and give students access to advanced technology, industry mentors, and research opportunities that allow them to develop essential skills and broaden their understanding of the field. Taking advantage of additional STEM enrichment programs can encourage your child to continue learning about the STEM field and prepare them for future academic and career success.
Timeline: Varies
Cost: $349-$359 per week
Age Groups Served: Elementary through high school
Highlights: Wide variety of program offerings; flexibility; online and in-person opportunities
Overview: Brainy Bytes offers a variety of STEM/STEAM based programs to enhance your child’s learning. The programs include online and in-person classes, after-school and home-school classes, summer camps, year-round camps, weekend workshops, and even birthday parties and private events. There is also a wide-variety of course content. Students have the opportunity to learn about graphic design, stop-motion movie making, game creation, 3D computer animation, AI, coding fundamentals, Minecraft modding, and much more. For more information on offerings and associated costs, visit: https://cobbcherokee.brainybytes.com/programs/.
Timeline: Summer
Cost: $450 without a scholarship; scholarships available to students who qualify for Free and/or Reduced-Price Lunch
Age Groups Served: High school
Highlights: Neuroscience; hands-on-learning; college exposure
Overview: Georgia State University’s Center for Behavioral Neuroscience offers short online and in-person courses during the summer for high school students interested in STEM. Courses are taught by University neuroscience and psychology professors, providing students with exposure to college-level STEM experiences. Some of the topics covered include: neurological disorders, human brain imaging, and modeling Alzheimer’s in fruit flies. For more information on offerings and associated costs, visit: https://sites.gsu.edu/neuroscienceschool/dates/.
Timeline: Summer
Cost: Varies; scholarships available
Age Groups Served: Elementary through middle school
Highlights: Hands-on-learning; robotics; coding
Overview: Club SciKidz offers a variety of week-long camps in nine locations across Atlanta. The camps focus on 70+ STEM topics, including: medicine, LEGO robotics, coding, and more. Programming is delivered to three age groups (PK and K, grades 1-3, and grades 4-7). Additionally, Club SciKidz offers scholarship programs to cover the cost of attendance. For more information on offerings and associated costs, visit: https://atlanta.clubscikidz.com/programs/.
Timeline: Varies based on program and location. Some camps take place after school on weekdays, others during weekends.
Cost: $150-$300 per month
Age Groups Served: Elementary through middle school
Highlights: Coding, video game creation
Overview: Code Ninjas is a coding franchise that hosts a variety of coding camps for children ages 5 to 14 years old. Camps focus on developing problem-solving skills and coding fundamentals, while creating a fun and safe environment for children to learn and grow. The Atlanta Code Ninjas offers 29 different programming camps. Code Ninjas kids can choose to learn about stop motion animation, Roblox and Minecraft modding, YouTube content creation, and more! For more information on offerings and associated costs, visit: https://www.codeninjas.com/ga-atlanta.
Timeline: Summer
Cost: $150-$300 per month
Age Groups Served: Elementary through high school
Highlights: Drones; coding; AI; project-based learning
Overview: Drobots offers a variety of STEM-focused programs and camps. Part of Drobot’s mission is to help kids reduce screen time while learning about STEM in a positive environment. Drobots uses collaborative project-based learning to teach students about drone technology, including coding and flying drones, as well as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality, Roblox game development, programming fundamentals, and more! For more information on offerings and associated costs, visit: https://drobotscompany.com/.
Timeline: March/April
Cost: $39 per student
Age Groups Served: Middle through high school
Highlights: STEM competition; networking; original research
Overview: The Georgia Science and Engineering Fair (GSEF) is an annual STEM competition that takes place in Atlanta every March/April. GSEF is an opportunity for student researchers in grades 6-12 to present original research, compete for awards, and interact with graduate students, faculty, and other STEM professionals who volunteer as judges. Student researchers can qualify by advancing from a school-level fair to one of the GSEF-Affiliated Regional Fairs across the state. Students who attend schools that do not run science fairs are still eligible to enter the competition. For more information, visit: https://www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/youth/academic-special-programs/georgia-science-and-engineering-fair.
Timeline: Admission results released in September; programming takes place between January and May
Cost: Free
Age Groups Served: Middle school through high school
Highlights: Leadership development, mentorship
Overview: Youth Ambassadors support and promote Science ATL, an organization that showcases the wide array of science-based opportunities in Atlanta and hosts science-based events, including the Atlanta Science Festival. Youth Ambassadors provide input during planning processes and attend Science ATL events like a leadership conference, a kickoff event, the Atlanta Science Festival, and Science Behind the Scenes (where participants get an insider tour of the various STEM institutions in Atlanta). Students also meet local STEM professionals, conduct outreach, and engage with the community. This is a great opportunity for students who are deeply interested in STEM and are looking to explore their passion. In addition to all of the science-based opportunities, Youth Ambassadors develop their public event planning, social media management, branding and marketing, and community outreach skills as well. For more information on their offerings and associated costs, visit: https://scienceatl.org/ambassadors/#top.