What’ll your teens do when school’s out? Hang out at the mall, watch TV? How about getting them into a program that suits their needs and interests? This year, offer them . . . : . . . The Summer Challenge

It is about this time of year that parents start to picture their teenagers out of school, on endless summer vacation. If the image includes three months of beaches, malls and body piercing parlors, don’t panic. Help is at hand:

Here are 40 summer programs designed to keep young people challenged--from cleaning up National Parks to programming computers and learning to ace the SATs. Additional information, including programs outside California and overseas, is available in “Peterson’s Guide to Summer Opportunities for Kids and Teenagers” (Web site: https://www.petersons.com).

With so many options available, choosing the right program requires some homework. “The glossiest brochure doesn’t mean the best program,” says David Coombs, director of Harvard-Westlake’s Summer Program. “The best evaluation of a program is talking to a kid who’s recently experienced the program. The good ones will give you a list of names of students from your school area. If they refuse, that’s suspect.”

Costs are subject to change and financial aid is available for many of these programs.

ARCHITECTURE

* Exploration of Architecture, University of Southern California, School of Architecture, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0291; (213) 740-2420. One- to three-week residential program in July for ages 14 to 19. Boarding program: $800 to $2,100.

ARTS

* American Academy of Dramatic Arts Summer Program, 2550 Paloma Street, Pasadena, CA 91107; (818) 798-0777. July 7 to Aug. 15 for thespians 14 and up. Admission by audition for courses in acting, stage movement and vocal production. $800.

* International Young Artists Peninsula Music Festival, Norris Theater for the Performing Arts, 6931 Vallon Drive, Palos Verdes, CA 90275; (310) 377-8891. Young musicians perform in public, June 14 and 15. $30 audition fee.

* Crossroads School Arts Conservancy, 1714 21st St., Santa Monica, CA 90404; (310) 829-7391. Visual and performing arts for 10- to 18-year-olds, including trips. $270-$1,000.

* Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036; (213) 857-6000. Teens and adults. Five studio and art history classes. $86.

* Otis Summer of Art High School Program, Otis College of Art and Design, 2401 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057; (800) 527-6847. Program in fine arts and design for ages 15 to 19. Twenty-day program: $675.

* Saturday High, Art Center College of Design, 1700 Lida Street, Pasadena, CA 91103; (818) 396-2200. Ten weekly design, drawing, film, graphic arts, painting and photography classes. For artists ages 14 to 18. $150.

* Stanford Jazz Workshop, Stanford University, Box 11291, Stanford, CA 94309; (415) 386-8535. One-week workshops in July and August for musicians 12 and up. Boarding program: $695.

* Young Artists Vocal Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Cheadle Hall 1317, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-2010 (805) 893-2377. College preparatory program for high school vocalists 15 to 18. Boarding: $2,205.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

* The Intensive Internship Program, Constitutional Rights Foundation; (213) 487-5590. Stipend program for inner-city high school students. Assignments include business, law and government offices.

* Fire Explorers; (213) 485-6272. Weekend and evening meetings for 14- to 20-year-olds interested in fire service and community outreach. Apply by contacting Los Angeles city and county fire stations. Free volunteer opportunity.

* Landmark Volunteers, Box 455, Sheffield, MA 01257; (413) 229-0255. During two-week sessions, teams of students provide service to Santa Cruz Island, Music from Bear Valley and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Boarding program: $575.

* Natural History Museum Family Education Division; (213) 744-3534. Teens can lead tours and work with younger children at the Natural History Museum, George C. Page Museum and Petersen Automotive Museum. Free volunteer opportunity.

* Police Explorers; (213) 485-3133. 14- to 20-year-olds attend weekend classes at the L.A. Police Academy in Elysian Park and go on to do community service and crime prevention. Contact the Youth Service officer at any LAPD station. Free volunteer activity.

* Summer Youth Employment Program; (213) 485-4675. Federally funded program offering paid summer work experience in nonprofit organizations and government agencies. Requirements: 14- to 21-year-old residents of the City of Los Angeles from low-income families.

* Volunteer Bureau of the City of Los Angeles; (888) CARE4LA. Places high school students in non-paid internships doing clerical work, data entry, basic research, recreation and park counseloring and museum work.

* Academic Study Associates at Stanford University; (800) 752-2250. June 25 to July 26 for students completing grades nine and 10. Students select courses in humanities and the arts, social sciences and natural sciences. Boarding: $4,095. Day program: $1,500.

GENERAL ENRICHMENT

* Cal Poly State University Summer Young Scholars Program, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407; (805) 544-6777. Five- to 10-day sessions in June, July and August for 10- to 17-year-olds. Focus on enrichment, career exploration and the arts. $40 to $60 per course. Room and board $700 per week.

* Harvard-Westlake School, 700 North Faring Road, Los Angeles, CA 90077; (310) 274-7281. June 9 to Aug. 23. Courses for seventh- through 12th-graders include science, math, language, music, arts and sports. Southwest Geology Expedition to Utah and marine biology course with excursion to the Channel Islands. $90 to $1,200.

* Ojai Valley School, 723 El Paseo Road, Ojai, CA 93023; (805) 646-1423. June 22 to Aug. 1. Morning courses for grades nine to 12 include history, math, writing and language with off-campus excursions on weekends. Equestrian program offers English training and showing program for students in grades 5 to 12. Two-week residential sessions start at $1,590.

* Summer Discovery at UCLA; (888) 8SUMMER. Three- and six-week programs June 22 to Aug. 2 for students completing grades 10 to 12; Aug. 4 to 24 for students completing grades nine to 12. Students live at Dykstra Hall and choose from courses taught by UCLA faculty, graduate students and secondary school teachers. Boarding: $2,600 for three weeks; $4,500 for six weeks.

GOVERNMENT

* California National Forensic Institute, 1678 Shattuck Ave., Suite 305, Berkeley, CA 94709; (510) 548-4800. Two-week session in June for students 12 to 18. Focuses on speech, debate and communications with courses on government, politics and philosophy. Boarding: $670 to $1,150.

* Institute on Law & Advocacy, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, and the Institute on International Law and Diplomacy, American University, Washington, D.C., are both organized by the National Student Leadership Foundation, P.O. Box 811086, Boca Raton, FL 33481-1086; (800) 394-6453. Students ages 14 to 17 are nominated to attend by their schools or are selected through a merit application process for two-week sessions. Focus on leadership, law and the judicial system. Day program: $995. Boarding: $1,695.

* Junior Statesman Symposium on Los Angeles Politics and Government, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089; (800) 334-5353. Five-day August residential program for 14- to 17-year-olds interested in local government, politics, debate and leadership. Boarding: $450.

* Junior Statesmen Summer School, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305; (800) 334-5353. July program for ages 14 to 18 in economics, government and politics, leadership, and speech and debate. Boarding: $2,300.

TRAVEL

* Earthwatch Field Research Expeditions, 680 Mt. Auburn St., Box 403PG, Watertown, MA; (800) 776-0188. Students 16 and up participate inprograms focusing on anthropology, archeology, botany, geology and oceanography. $700 to $3,000.

* Outward Bound, (800) 547-3312. Two- and three-week wilderness-based courses in the Sierra Nevada for teens 14 and up. “We use the outdoors as an educational tool,” says Zeke Zeliff, marketing director. $1,895.

* Pacific Marine Science Camps, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, 7171 SW Quarry Ave., Redmond, OR 47756; (541) 548-5473. One- and two-week programs for ages eight to 18 in Northern California, Oregon and Washington. Backpacking, canoe trips, rafting, wilderness camping. $285 and up.

MEDIA

* The Media Workshops, UCLA, Rieber Hall, DeNeve Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90024; (800) 223-4561. Day and residential program for 14- to 21-year-olds interested in mass media, communications production and exploring media careers. Participants meet with media executives and movie studios, TV networks, record companies and newspapers. Day program: $495. Boarding: $695.

SCIENCE

* Lawrence Hall of Science Summer Science Camp, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-5200; (510) 642-5134. Weeklong residential sessions for 8- to 15-year-olds focusing on natural history and science. Boarding program: $380 to $605.

* Making of the Engineer, University of Denver, 2135 E. Wesley Ave. Denver, CO 80208; (303) 871-2663. June 9-28. Undergraduate level engineering curriculum for high school students. Residential program: $820 plus $70 for four college credits.

* National Computer Camp at Pitzer College, Claremont, CA 91711; (909) 621-8104. Weeklong programs for 8- to 18-year-olds in computer science, and Internet. Day program: $420. Boarding: $550.

* Oceanography Summer, Occidental College, Biology Department, Los Angeles, CA 90041; (213) 259-2890. Five-week session for 16- and 17-year-olds. Students participate in overnight and day trips, studying biology, ecology and marine sciences. Day program: $2,072. Boarding: $2,902.

* Seacamp San Diego, Seacamp Enterprises Inc. 3669 Mount Ariane Drive, San Diego, CA 92111-3904. Core curriculum in marine biology with day trips, snorkeling and scuba trips, and voyage on a research vessel. Boarding program: $645.

* The Summer Science Program, The Thacher School, 5025 Thacher Road, Ojai, CA 93023; (805) 646-4377. Six-week residential program for students 15 to 17. Subjects include astronomy, computer, math and physics. Boarding program: $2,400.

* Stephen Birch Aquarium-Museum Summer Learning Adventure, 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla, CA 92093-0207; (619) 534-7523. Day program for students 15 and younger offering classroom and field trips in marine science and ocean sports. Day programs: $12 to $220.

STUDY AND JOB SKILLS

* Institute of Reading and Development; (800) 964-9090, Ext. 227; Weekly sessions designed to increase reading speed and comprehension.$199 plus $8 materials fee.

* L.A. Youth at Work, (213) 237-1584; Clearinghouse for private sector jobs offers half-day training class in resume writing, interview and job skills for 16- to 21-year-olds. Free.

* SuperCamp, 10-day residential programs for ages 12 to 18 at Stanford University and Claremont Colleges; (800) 285-3276. Reading, test-taking, power writing, and problem solving. Boarding: $1,595.