Five free opportunities for high schoolers open this September

September is when a wave of free, high-profile opportunities for high schoolers opens, and it's easy to miss one simply because the deadline snuck up. Here are five worth putting on your calendar now.

The National Youth Science Camp is a prestigious residential STEM program that brings together two graduating seniors from each state for an immersive summer of science. Travel, housing, and meals are all covered.

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are the nation's longest-running and most prestigious scholarship recognition program for creative teens. September is when the official categories and guidelines for the new cycle go up.

The Voice of Democracy audio essay contest, sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, invites high schoolers to write and record a broadcast script responding to an annual patriotic theme. Winners receive up to $35,000 in scholarship money.

The Congressional App Challenge, hosted by the U.S. Congress, has students code original software applications or games, either individually or in teams of up to four. Winning apps are displayed in the U.S. Capitol and recognized nationally.

The Breakthrough Junior Challenge is a global science video competition inviting students to create an original video explaining a challenging STEM concept. Winners receive up to $250,000 in scholarship money, and submissions typically close in mid-September, so this one is worth prioritizing.

None of these cost anything to enter, which makes them some of the highest-value opportunities on the calendar for the effort involved.