Students & Families
Helping Families Navigate What’s Next
Northern Virginia is full of opportunities for children to grow, learn, and thrive—both in and out of the classroom. Whether you’re new to the region or have lived here for years, this page connects you to family-friendly programs, resources, and events that support your child’s educational journey from the earliest years through high school. From foundational learning to hands-on career exploration, Northern Virginia offers pathways that help young learners discover their interests and build the skills they’ll need for future success.
Explore resources designed to help students discover their potential and take charge of their future.
Quick Links
Discover Your Interests and Strengths
Explore your personality, interests, and values to find careers that fit you.
This tool from CareerOneStop helps you figure out what matters most to you in a job. Use it to find careers that align with your values.
Agile Worker Profiler Assessment
Created by The Debruce Foundation, this researched-backed career assessment identifies your top skills and interests—known as Agilities—to help you explore diverse career pathways and articulate your professional value.
A simple survey from CareerOneStop that recommends careers based on what you enjoy doing.
Developed by John Holland, this test identifies Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional interests.
Explore Careers and Job Options
Learn about different career paths, job outlooks, and what it takes to get there.
Bright Outlook Occupations
This resource from ONET* highlights careers expected to grow quickly or have lots of openings. Explore details like tasks, skills, and education needed.
My Next Move
Created by the U.S. Department of Labor, this site makes it easy to browse careers, read job descriptions, and see the training required.
The Career Project
A free career database featuring real stories from professionals. Learn what people do in their jobs, how they got there, and what they like or dislike.
Occupational Outlook Handbook
Published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, this guide provides detailed job profiles including salary, growth outlook, and education requirements.
Plan Courses, Skills, and Next Steps
Set academic and career goals, build experience, and prepare for what comes after high school.
BigFuture
Created by the College Board, this free site helps students explore careers, compare colleges, find scholarships, and plan for life after high school.
Find the Right College
A search tool from the National Center for Education Statistics that lets you compare colleges by location, size, cost, and programs.
Building a Good Resume
A guide from StudyPoint offering tips on how to build a strong high school resume for jobs, internships, or college applications.
Resumes, Cover Letters & Interviews
Tools and templates from CareerOneStop to help you write resumes, draft cover letters, and practice for interviews.
Military Connected Families
Explore the right resources for military-connected youth.
Blue Star Families: connects military and veteran families with community support, career resources, events, discounts, volunteer opportunities, and programs that strengthen belonging and help families manage the challenges of military life.
FCPS Purple Star Schools: recognition for supporting military-connected students and families. They provide trained staff contacts, student ambassador programs, transition assistance, academic planning resources, and activities that help military students feel welcomed, supported, and connected when changing schools.
Find More Opportunities
Check out additional mentorship, learning, and volunteer opportunities.
MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Think Big for Kids: helps students explore careers, set goals, gain experience, connect with mentors, prepare for jobs, and build confidence through events, internships, job shadowing, and practical guidance. Application
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Genesys Works: prepares high school students for careers through professional training, a paid senior-year internship, and college and career coaching, earning up to $13,000.
Datagen Scholars Program: a 12-month virtual program that helps high school students build data, AI, and career readiness skills. Application
Meridian Global Leadership Institute: offers immersive Washington, DC fellowships for high school students interested in international affairs, diplomacy, public policy, and business. Application
The Aerospace Corporation: offers K–12 STEM programs that introduce students to space science, engineering, robotics, and emerging technology through educational events, scholarships, tours, and expert-led activities.
Northern Virginia Science Center Foundation: provides hands-on STEM experiences through community programs, internships, and youth service opportunities that help students build skills while supporting science education across Northern Virginia.
Smithsonian: offers youth programs, workshops, internships, and educational experiences across its museums and research centers, allowing students to explore science, history, art, culture, and conservation.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteer Fairfax: supports kids, teens, and families serving their community through their online database that lists over 300 opportunities. Volunteer Database
Student Work and Internship Resources
Use these trusted platforms to find internships, part-time jobs, and volunteer experiences.
- Used by over 1 billion professionals worldwide and hosts 14+ million job listings
- Build a digital resume, follow companies, and connect with mentors and peers
- Create a free account and explore different career paths, grow your network, and get noticed by employers early
- Users must be at least 16 years old to create an account in the U.S.
- Connects students with nearly 1 million employers, including Fortune 500 companies, federal agencies, startups, and nonprofits.
- Serves 15+ million students and partners with 1,500+ colleges and universities
- Sign up as a student and easily find internships and jobs that match your major, interests, and experience level
- Minimum age is typically 16; users must be affiliated with a partner college or university
- Connects users to 150,000+ nonprofits and community groups
- Features over 100,000 internships, volunteer roles, and entry-level jobs in fields like education, the environment, and human rights
- Create a free profile to explore mission-driven opportunities in nonprofits and public service
- No strict age minimum, but most opportunities are geared toward ages 16 and up
- Offers over 26,000 active registered programs in fields like healthcare, IT, advanced manufacturing, construction, and education
- Earn while you learn with paid, hands-on training and classroom instruction in high-demand industries
- Use the Apprenticeship Finder to search programs by location or industry
- Minimum age is 16 for most registered programs
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Offers career planning tools, job search help, and training info tailored to young adults aged 14–24 through the GetMyFuture portal
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Search thousands of short-term training programs, certifications, apprenticeships, and two- or four-year college degrees across the U.S.
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Features an internship search tool and connects users to local support programs, resume tips, and career guides to launch successful, informed job searches
NOVA’s Summer College Prep & Virtual Internship Program
This 6-week no-cost program is designed to provide students with a unique opportunity to prepare for college while at the same time gaining meaningful professional experience. To support students as they transition from high school to postsecondary education and the workforce, this program will help students strengthen both their academic preparedness and their understanding of potential career pathways.
Learn More