SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM HELP

Hello, I’m a sophomore high school student and new to the cc forums. I’ve been interested in doing a summer research program at a university or lab, but I’m having trouble choosing.
One of my major problems is that I’m turning 16 in August, and many of the universities that offer biological research programs in my area only offer to ages 16+. Also, many of the big name national ones have already closed applications. So, should I email professors and local labs, make a better use of my summer and instead go my own way and do independent research, and if so, how?
General information about me: 1570 SAT Score, High GPA (don’t have exact, but I have gotten all A’s except for an unweighted 88 on one semester of BC CALC), taking double accelerated math courses so I’m taking BC as a sophomore, and I am hoping to go into molecular biology/chemistry/general biology as undergrad. Thanks!

Check out the University of Massachusetts- Amherst Pre-college 6-week research intensives. You are in a university lab doing research or at least helping out with the research, and you don’t have to be 16.

Sounds cool, I’ll be sure to check it out.
By the way, I live in Georgia if anyone was wondering.