About

Teens in Public Service (TIPS) is a competitive paid summer internship program placing high school students at nonprofit organizations throughout the Greater Puget Sound region. Founded over 25 years ago, TIPS has placed more than 1,200 students at over 230 nonprofits, focusing on developing teen leaders with practical work experience, an understanding of ethical leadership, and a connection to community. In 2025, the program received approximately 630 applications for roughly 86 internship spots — making it genuinely competitive despite its local footprint.

Internships run 6–8 weeks between June 15 and August 21, 2026, averaging 20–30 hours per week for a maximum of 160 hours. Interns are paid at Seattle's minimum wage of $21.30/hour, with total earnings of up to $3,300 over the summer. Placements span nonprofit focus areas including advocacy, arts, human services, environmental work, tutoring, childcare, and technology, distributed across King County and the broader Puget Sound region. The selection process includes an application, letter of recommendation, and interview with trained volunteer interviewers, with placement matching based on each student's skills, interests, and location. Three mandatory program dates are required — orientation, a leadership day, and a closing celebration. Eligibility requires being a current high school student ages 15–19 and eligible to work in the United States; the program is open regardless of income.

For a high school student in the Seattle area interested in nonprofit work, public service, or civic leadership, TIPS is one of the most substantive local paid internship programs available.