Clear Lake-area high schoolers who want to rack up service hours while working adjacent to NASA Johnson Space Center have until Tuesday, Sept. 8, to apply for Space Center Houston's Teen Volunteer Academic Year Program.
The visitor center announced the application opening on its official X account Monday, Aug. 17. Students ages 14–17 can earn 40 or more volunteer hours over the school year by leading hands-on science activities for guests visiting the museum at 1601 E NASA Parkway.
What volunteers do
Accepted teens will facilitate pop-up science demonstrations on the museum floor, interact with visitors from around the world and support major Space Center Houston events including Galaxy Lights, Galaxy Frights and Day Camps. The program also includes leadership development training.
Volunteers receive complimentary access to Space Center Houston and flexible elective hours spread across the center's event calendar.
How to apply
Applications are open now through Sept. 8 at spacecenter.org. Space Center Houston's Facebook page describes the program as geared toward students interested in STEM, space exploration and inspiring others.
The center did not disclose how many slots are available or whether the program is competitive.
A different path than BAST
The program is separate from Bay Area Service Teens, the volunteer group run by the Bay Area Service League that recently grew to 137 members. It is also distinct from Space Center Houston's Accelerate Space workforce program for adults, which we covered Aug. 5.
Unlike BAST, which logs hours across multiple community organizations, this program places teens directly on the museum floor leading guest activities at NASA's official visitor center.
Upcoming
- Sept. 8 — Application deadline for the Teen Volunteer Academic Year Program
- Fall 2026 — Program runs throughout the school year; specific start date not yet announced
