The teen summer program industry has become much more competitive over the past 15 years, says Tips on Trips and Camps, a free advisory service. Programs have begun to differentiate themselves by offering special programs for "tweens", community service camp options, career-oriented internships, academic study programs, language programs combined with other interests, and gap year programming.

"These new offerings are a result of teen program directors trying to cater to both parents’ wishes and teens interests," says Carey Rivers, Co-Director, Tips on Trips and Camps (www.tipsontripsandcamps.com) in Washington, DC.

Summer schedules have to be planned around summer school, sports commitments, and family vacations. To adapt, teen programs are developing shorter programs that can accommodate the schedules of busy teens. They are also attempting to offer more "bang for the buck" by developing programs that incorporate many interests, such as language programs, community service, and adventure travel.

"Today your teen could choose one program in which he or she could combine multiple activities, like learning Spanish while in a community service program in Costa Rica," says Ms. Rivers.

Tips on Trips and Camps offers these trends and unique programs for summer 2008 to help you and your child think outside the box:

Options for "Tweens" - Because teen program directors have realized that middle school age kids are looking for new and exciting programs, these "tweeners" have a world of options open to them now. Now there are language programs for Chinese, Japanese and Arabic, marine science sailing programs in the British Virgin Islands and adventure travel programs, all customized by maturity level and educational experience.

Community Service - To teach our children the value of "giving back," and completing high school community service requirements, your child can assist in the construction of new classrooms in India, work with orphans in Russia, on hurricane reconstruction on the Gulf Coast or teach tennis to underprivileged kids in urban areas.

Internships - If your child has a specific career interest and wants to gain experience in that field, he or she can work side by side with professionals in areas like Archaeology, Fashion Design, Medical Research and Strategic Studies. Career internships on college campuses are available in England, and in large U.S. cities, like New York City, Boston and Philadelphia. After their daily "work," students can participate in evening activities, weekend excursions, and college visits for the participants.

Language programs - Though learning a foreign language is not a new concept, combining it with other interests is a new phenomenon. Many language programs abroad incorporate a home stay, where a student is matched with a family, which enriches the student’s experience through cultural exchange and community service. Teens can study painting, photography or cooking while learning Italian or study architecture in Switzerland while learning French. Your teen can also dabble in rare languages, like Arabic, Modern Greek, or Swedish right here in the U.S.

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