Bay Area summer science internships/volunteering?

<p>Hi!
I'm looking for some science related internships or volunteering opportunities for summer 2013. I'm especially interested in medicine, chemistry, genetics, and anything related to animals. I'll be 16 and a rising junior; I don't know my GPA but I have 4 A's and 1 A- at a good private school.</p>

<p>I've seen several other threads stating that the way to do is to directly email labs, professors, and such. I'm simply wondering what sorts of companies/organizations would accept a high school volunteer. I've looked at the local animal shelter and hospital, and both require at least 6 months of service. I was thinking of applying to the Exploratorium in San Francisco and to NASA. Are these worthwhile? Any advice?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Don’t know much about ones you’re considering but I heard about a science internship (must have at least a basic background in physics though) for this summer. I think it’s in Livermore but I could be wrong… Don’t have all the info with me now, I’ll post again when I do.</p>

<p>Awesome, thanks!</p>

<p>If it helps: I’m currently enrolled in AP Biology as well as AP Chemistry right now. Also, I’m in Honors PreCalc. And I go to Castilleja, so anything around Stanford or that area is super, super close.</p>

<p>Have you looked into SIMR at Stanford? Stanford has a several more summer programs for high school students.</p>

<p>I believe Stanford also has a program that recruits high school students for unpaid research positions in a variety of departments during the school year; if you’re not into biomed, you can probably still find a research position by poking professors.</p>

<p>Aside from that, I am under the impression that a number of universities in the Bay Area have high school research programs. I was at a high school scientific conference earlier this year and there were presenters from summer stem cell research programs at Gladstone, UCSF, UCD, and Stanford (SIMR).</p>