Timeless Skills.
Real Impact.

In an AI-powered world, it’s not about memorizing facts—it’s about learning how to think, lead, and make an impact. This summer, give your child the edge that never expires.

Apply Now

Awards and Recognition

What if your teen could spend this summer pitching their passion project to top CEOs like:

Deb Liu

CEO of Ancestry • Intuit board • Former Meta exec

Hadi Partovi

Founder of Code.org • board member • Investor

Diane von Furstenberg

Fashion Icon • CEO • Philanthropist

Stay tuned for our fourth judge launch announcement…

Winners will have the chance to win a $1,000 fellowship stipend and national recognition.

How it works

All students will submit their final project by August 17th

Twelve finalists will be selected to pitch live on August 24th to our panel of star judges

Curated Competitions & Awards

In addition to the 4 awards, our team will provide personalized recommendations on competitions that your child can submit their work to.

Imagine your Common App
Activity Sheet

The World Has Changed

AI is rewriting the rules.
What used to impress—test scores, fancy summer programs at Oxford, and pay-to-play research programs—just isn’t enough anymore.
Top colleges and employers want:
Doers. Builders. Communicators. Leaders.

The Transformation:

Before
Overwhelmed by generic summer programs
Unclear about their direction
After
Empowered with standout projects and undeniable confidence
Purposeful, passionate, and ready for success
Apply Now

The Curious Cardinals Difference

Personalized, AI-Enhanced Mentorship:
Perfect Mentor Match: Expert mentors from Stanford, Harvard, and Yale who deeply understand your child's interests and goals.
AI-Powered Learning Plans: Structured roadmaps with clear milestones and real-time progress tracking—so you never worry about your child's direction again.
Standout Student Stories: Tools to help students clearly articulate their achievements, ensuring compelling narratives for college admissions and future opportunities.
Why It Matters
The future is changing fast—but some skills never go out of style: Curiosity. Communication. Critical thinking.
We help students develop these through hands-on projects that prepare them for college—and life.
Apply Now

4 Ways to Turn Curiosity Into Impact This Summer.

Portfolio Creation

Build tangible projects—from robotics prototypes to creative writing collections—that colleges love.

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Launching an Organization

Turn big ideas into social impact initiatives or profitable businesses.

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Research

Conduct meaningful research, publish original work, and stand out academically.

See more

Content Creation

Establish a powerful digital presence and publish professional-level content.

See more

Portfolio Creation

Build tangible projects—from robotics prototypes to creative writing collections—that colleges love.

See more

Launching an Organization

Turn big ideas into social impact initiatives or profitable businesses.

See more

Research

Conduct meaningful research, publish original work, and stand out academically.

See more

Content Creation

Establish a powerful digital presence and publish professional-level content.

See more

Apply Now

Success Stories

See what happens when students find their spark — and turn it into something real.

Science, Engineering & Technology
Arts & Humanities
Business, Finance & Entrepreneurship
Politics, Ethics, Social Justice

Robotics, Electronics, & CAD

From Robotics to NASA: A Young Innovator's Journey in Engineering and Entrepreneurship

Discover how Jack built advanced CAD designs and robotics prototypes that showcase innovation.

Read Jack's Story

Game Design

From Gamer to Launching Video Game on Steam

Matthew transformed a casual hobby into a polished game by mastering C#, Unity development, vixel art, and entrepreneurial marketing skills

Read Matthew's Story

Fashion / Cosmetics

From curious, shy student to feminist fashion icon at Cornell

See how Elise built a platform highlighting female leaders in fashion leading to an internship, published articles, and amassing a following for her platform.

Read Elise's Story

Journalism

Bridging Cultures, Sharing Stories, Inspiring Connections.

Discover how Scarlett is building a global community through compelling interviews and storytelling, highlighting diverse perspectives on music, film, mental health, feminism, and the human experience.

Read Scarlett's Story

Fashion / Cosmetics

From Weekend Crafts to Love Shack Fancy partnership at Age 14

See how Rose transformed her jewelry-making hobby into a profitable accessories brand and generated thousands in profits.

Read Rose's Story

Sports Journalism

From Sneakers to Sports Cards: Building a Thriving Resale Business

See how Max transitioned from sneaker reselling into a profitable sports card business, generating thousands in sales and building a thriving online brand.

Read Max's Story

Coding & Programming

Wins a Congressional App Award

Learn about Drew’s award-winning health app integrating AI and sophisticated data visualization, showcasing technical expertise and creativity.

Read Drew's Story

STEM Project

Launching a Non Profit Advancing Global Health

Josh built a platform advancing global health and advocacy for patients, partnered with local clinics to provide mentorship to 75+ families, and is now headed to UPenn!

Read Josh's Story

Our Mentors

They’ve launched ventures. Landed dream internships. Won big competitions.


But more importantly — they know what it’s like to be in your child’s shoes. Our mentors don’t just teach — they guide, inspire, and show students what’s possible because they’ve lived it.

Ava

Los Angeles, CA
Design

Lula

Nyack, NY
Sociology

Eden

Crowthorne, Berkshire
Economics

Matthew

Houston, TX
Radio, Television, Film

Colette

New York, NY
Theater & Performance Studies

Franck

Lousville, KY
Computer Science

Matthew

Honolulu, HI
Psychology

Jonathan

West Lafayette, IN
Mechanical Engineering
Apply Now

Structure & Flexibility

Option 1

Intensive Project Launch

Bring a bold idea to life — and make it matter. Students will launch a project designed for real-world impact, whether it’s generating revenue, growing a user base, getting published, or driving change in their community. They’ll walk away with a finished product, public proof of work, and a story worth sharing.
Schedule: 20-hour package, typically 2 hours per week for 10 weeks.
Option 2

Flexible Monthly Subscription

Develop an impactful Minimum Viable Product (MVP) by summer's end, structured to continue scaling into the school year.
Schedule: Meet 4 hours per month, with an initial 2-week evaluation period to align on goals and determine if you’d like to move forward.
  • 2-week evaluation period to ensure you’re happy with your mentor. (Sessions billed at $95/hr during evaluation). Once you’re subscribed, there is a 2-month commitment.
  • Roll over up to 3 hours of unused credits monthly. Cancel or pause anytime after the initial commitment.
  • 100% money-back guarantee: We’re confident in the value we provide, so if you’re not completely satisfied after 2 weeks of working with Curious Cardinals, we’ll give you a full refund — no questions asked
Option 3

Pathfinding Bootcamp

Turn confusion into clarity. In this short-term intensive, your child will uncover what excites them most, map out a clear 12-month plan for a passion project, and build timeless skills like self-awareness, storytelling, and purpose-driven learning.
Schedule: Flexible intensive (1 hour/day for 1-2 weeks), designed to fit into gaps in your busy summer schedule.
Apply Now

Who Should Join

Build: Ambitious rising 8-9th graders
Whether your student has a bold idea they’re eager to bring to life (like an app, blog, or business) — or no idea where to start — this track offers the structure, mentorship, and spark they need. With guided exploration and hands-on support, they’ll gain confidence, momentum, and clarity around what excites them most.
Scale: Driven rising 10-11th graders
Motivated, goal-oriented students ready to level up with standout achievements — for college admissions and beyond.
Explore: Curious 4-7th graders
“Curiosity Tracks” spark fun exploration and build real-world skills — helping students discover what excites them and grow with confidence.
Apply Now

How It Works

Pick a passion track
Whatever lights them up — we’ve got a track for it.
Get the perfect mentor match
Handpicked mentors from top colleges — here to inspire.
Follow a personalized, AI-powered plan
A clear path to help them build, create, and grow.
Watch them shine
From passion project → powerful story they’ll be proud to share.
Apply Now

Expert-Led Webinar Sessions

Exclusive biweekly webinars from experts that will provide personalized feedback on your projects and shed light on their journeys winning Gates Fellowships, Coca Cola Scholar awards, scholarships, and acceptances to Stanford, Harvard, and other top programs!

How to Tell your Story

(and build your resume!)

How to Prompt Engineer

“Vibe coding”

(build anything you dream of)

Build study skills with AI tools

What you’ll gain

Turn passive participation into active creation of your dream project.
Clarity, confidence, and a standout story that opens doors — in college and beyond.
Real skills that stand the test of time in an AI-powered world
Peace of Mind for Parents.
‍
You’ll always know your child is on the right track.
‍
Expect weekly updates, a clear roadmap with milestones, and a tangible final deliverable that brings their story to life. Plus, it’s one hour a week they genuinely look forward to—and where real progress happens.
Apply Now

Spots Fill Fast 📆

Our most in-demand mentors are already being booked. Sign up now to reserve the perfect mentor match!

Reserve Your Child’s Spot
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