Juneau Economic Development Council NEWS | May 2026 | | STEM Summer Camps: Secure A Spot Before It's Too Late! | | |
JEDC’s STEM Summer Camps have been a cornerstone of summer learning and childcare activities in Alaska's capital city since 2009. Designed to spark curiosity and build confidence, our camps help students develop critical thinking, problem solving, and technical skills while nurturing creativity and collaboration. Our trained and dedicated camp staff provide an exciting and enriching environment where young students can explore STEM through hands-on projects and challenges. Most of our camps are FIRST® LEGO robotics-based and supplemented by STEM-adjacent activities, including 3D design and printing, technical trades, and entrepreneurship.
This year's camps begin June 15 and they are filling up FAST with 270+ spots already filled and waitlists growing!
| *All camps are run on a “Pay-As-You-Can” fee structure, allowing registrants to choose an amount that works best for them. | 2026 STEM Summer Camp Lineup* | | *All camps at Thunder Mountain Middle School unless otherwise noted. | | |
Campers (grades 1-4) use the LEGO SPIKE Essential motors, sensors, and programming to bring their LEGO creations to life! This is the robot used in FIRST LEGO League Explore.
• June 15 - June 19
• June 22 - June 26 FULL
• June 29 - July 3 FULL
• July 6 - July 10
• July 13 - July 17
• July 20 - July 24
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Campers (grades 4-8) will build and program the LEGO SPIKE Prime robots to complete challenges and end the we with a fun Sumo Bot tournament! This is the new robot being used for FIRST® LEGO League Challenge!
• June 15 - June 19
• June 22 - June 26 FULL
• June 29 - July 3 FULL
• July 6 - July 10
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This exciting camp for girls-only (grades 4-8) will design, build, and code SPIKE Prime robots and spend a fun week exploring the world of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.
• July 13 - July 17
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This is an advanced camp for students (grades 5-8) with FIRST® LEGO League Challenge experience as they creatively apply programming and building strategies to complete FLL missions and compete in a challenging mini tournament, as well as undertake some basic programming in Python.
• July 20 - July 24
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Campers (grades 6-10) will use the free Tinkercad modeling software to build their design skills and learn advanced tips & tricks as they progress through two or more projects per day, including 3D printed trinkets, articulated creatures, multi-part assemblies, storytelling with characters and props, and candy molds.
• July 6 - July 10 FULL
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Experienced campers (grades will build and program a mini-FTC style robot along with designing and printing custom 3D robot attachments, and then testing and refining them on the field. The week ends with a fun, fast-paced tournament where campers put their upgraded robots to the test.
• July 13 - July 17 FULL
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Campers (grades 2-8) will build and code the new LEGO Spike robots, conquer puzzles, battle ogres, and become Master Builders as they energize their STEAM skills.
• July 27 - July 31*
*This free camp is exclusively for residents of Gruening Park Apartments, an affordable housing community in Juneau.
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Campers (grades 6-8) will dive into the world of entrepreneurship—a hands-on experience for students to turn their creativity into real-world skills. They will create and launch their own business; learn how to make and manage money, market their ideas, and develop leadership skills; meet local entrepreneurs; and pitch their ideas “Shark Tank” style to a panel of local business leaders!
• June 29 - July 3
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| Camp Spotlight: Technical Trades (June 22 - June 26) | | |
Back by popular demand for a fourth straight year, this one-week, immersive experience will support up to fifteen (15) rising 8th-11th graders as they explore careers needed in Juneau. Campers will experience hands-on learning and see behind-the-scenes with our business and industry partners, and learn about the many apprenticeships, internships, and job opportunities right here at home!
This camp is a critical piece in continuing to develop young tradesmen and women in Juneau. It is specifically designed to inspire curiosity, promote experimentation, and showcase technical career options. Each day of the camp will focus on a different field (e.g., mining, maritime, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing/heating) featuring hands-on activities (e.g., diesel mechanics, construction, Tyler Rental yard demo, metering, soldering, and welding), tours (e.g., UAS's Technical Education Center, AJ Mine Gastineau Mill’s underground mine, the Auke Bay Ferry Terminal, and the Gold Creek Power Plant), and career pathways (e.g., workplace safety, union benefits, employer contacts, earning potential, and local hiring requirements).
| | | Join us for an exciting 5-day exploration of the trades in cooperation with local unions, strategically-chosen companies, and the University of Alaska Southeast! | | *Transportation will be provided to trades camp participants (if needed) | | THANK YOU to this year's Camp Funders & Sponsors! | | Funding Partners ($10,000+) | | Camp Series Title Sponsors ($2,500) | | Individual Camp Title Sponsors ($1,000) | | |
Help Support and Inspire Juneau's Future Workforce through 2026 STEM Summer Camp Sponsorship!
2026 is shaping up to be our BIGGEST and most EXCITING camp season yet, but we need YOUR help!
Sponsorships directly fund reduced registration fees, transportation, and meals for low and middle-income campers, ensuring that all young Juneauites, regardless of their families’ financial circumstances, can participate.
We offer a range of sponsorship levels from $100 for Individual Donors to $2,500 for Camp Series Title Sponsorships, all with increasing visibility and recognition opportunities for you throughout the camp season.
| *Our 501(c)(3) charitable partner, the Alaska Development Corporation (ADC), supports our fundraising efforts, including camp delivery and scholarships. Contributions to ADC are tax-deductible. | | | |
Through our programs, JEDC aims to increase interest and competencies in STEM fields – which are growing at more than three time the rate of non-technical jobs – organized around three strategies:
1. Offer STEM enrichment activities to students;
2. Facilitate professional development of teachers; and
3. Participate in advocacy and outreach to build public awareness and support.
Our work is guided by a commitment to hands-on, engaged learning that links students to real world opportunities and challenges in an environment of high expectations and discovery. We work with teachers and students, government and non-government organizations, not-for-profits, and increasingly, with Alaska's business and industry leaders to address the current and future STEM needs of the state.
| | | U.S. Coast Guard Housing in Juneau | | |
Juneau will need to rapidly develop new housing units to support U.S. Coast Guard personnel and families tied to the future homeporting of the USCGC Storis. We understand that the the Coast Guard now intends to seek approximately fifty (50) new homes in a Request for Proposal (RFP) to be published later this summer.
JEDC is actively working with Builders, Developers, and the Coast Guard. In an already-constrained market with limited construction capacity, any approach must reduce risk and capital burdens for local contractors and ensure that new units are standard, market-quality homes that add to our community's overall housing supply.
Contact Brian at bholst@jedc.org if you are Builder or Developer and want to learn more!
| | 2026 Juneau Maritime Festival Recap | | |
Despite the "maritime" weather, the 16th annual Juneau Maritime Festival, organized and hosted by JEDC on Saturday, May 9, was a HUGE success! A new record 127 vendors and thousands of locals showed up to celebrate our shared history, culture, and commerce that links our community to the sea.
A traditional arrival & welcome ceremony by the One People Canoe Society and the Yées Ḵu.oo Dancers kicked off the festivities, which included fresh grilled seafood, musical performances from JAMM, The Honey Badgers, the U.S. Navy Northwest’s 8-Piece Brass Band, and The Rain Dogs, and a rousing Tug-of-War contest on the seawalk that ended with the returning champion U.S. Coast Guard Juneau Sector retaining the coveted trophy. Our Seaside Sippin' Beer Garden and our Harbor Cruises with Juneau Public Library, Gastineau Channel Historical Society, Sunny Porch, and Vox Borealis ensured that there was something for everyone on this celebratory day.
Thanks to all attendees, vendors, volunteers, entertainers, and especially, our sponsors and contributors for making this a most successful event!
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Did YOU attend the Festival?
Take Our Survey!
We’d love your feedback! Please take 5 minutes to complete our attendee survey and share your thoughts so we can make future events even better. We value your input. It truly helps shape the Maritime Festival experience.
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CONGRATULATIONS to the Winners* of this year's Juneau Maritime Festival Raffle!
GRAND PRIZE: Two (2) round-trip tickets for anywhere within North/Central America and Hawaii. Donated by Alaska Airlines
Winner: Alan Akiyama
2nd PRIZE: Two (2) tickets for Norris Adventure: Seaplane, Paddle, and Glacier Hike. Donated by Above and Beyond Adventures
Winner: Cindy Hartman-Moore
3rd PRIZE: Two (2) tickets for a Whale Watch and Lighthouse Tour. Donated by Juneau Lighthouse Tours
Winner: Colleen Torrence
*If your name is listed above and you have NOT yet heard from a member of our staff, please reach out to us at media@jedc.org to claim your prize!
| | JEDC thanks to the generosity of our MANY sponsors whose contributions made every part of this amazing event possible, ensuring we can continue bringing our community together celebrating our collective maritime heritage. | | Investor of the Month: Avista | |
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The JEDC Investor Program is specifically designed to engage businesses and organizations who support economic development in Juneau.
Investment levels range from $700 to $10,000+ with increasing benefits. With our comprehensive and consistent marketing, your business will be recognized on the JEDC website along with all presentations, publications, newsletters, and collateral materials.
Best of all, your investment will contribute to a more prosperous Juneau!
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Better energy for life.
We are an energy company involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy as well as other energy-related businesses. Avista Utilities is our operating division, providing electricity to nearly 418,000 customers and natural gas to about 382,000 customers across 30,000 square miles and four northwestern states. Alaska Energy and Resources Company, an Avista subsidiary, provides retail electric service in the city and borough of Juneau through its subsidiary Alaska Electric Light and Power Company. Avista’s history of innovations is rooted in the renewable energy we’ve generated since our founding in 1889.
Avista has been recognized for the fifth time by Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as one of the 2024 World’s Most Ethical Companies.
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| | | 2026 Seasonal Job Openings | | |
JEDC is excited for the 2026 summer season and is looking to hire for the following positions:
Downtown Ambassadors
Do you enjoy helping others and talking to new people? Would you be able to represent our beautiful capital city to visitors in town for the day? Are you a resident of Juneau with knowledge of all the ins and outs for restaurants, trails, rides, etc? If this sounds like you, please apply to be a Downtown Ambassador!
This seasonal position offers flexible schedules (10-40 hours/week on days of your choice) and will end in October.
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Downtown Crossing Guards*
Juneau Welcome Guards support public safety and hospitality in the heart of Downtown Juneau during our busy season. This position will ensure the safe and orderly movement of pedestrians and vehicles at assigned downtown crosswalks and requires being alert, professional, courteous, and capable of sustained outdoor physical activity.
*Perfect for locals, visiting family, and college students home for the summer seeking short-term employment!
| | JEDC Investor Program: Invest in Juneau | | |
The JEDC Investor Program is specifically designed to engage businesses and organizations who support economic development in Juneau. By becoming a JEDC Investor, you will directly contribute to programs and initiatives that foster a healthy and sustainable economy: help make Juneau a great (capital) city; strengthen key regional industries; promote entrepreneurship and small business; develop next generation talent; and, deliver core economic development services.
Your investment will provide vital, flexible funding enabling us to act where the need is greatest: conducting timely and relevant research, responding to emergency situations, convening partners to address housing and workforce challenges, supporting small business startup and expansion through our lending and investment programs, and much more!
With our comprehensive and consistent marketing, your business or organization will be recognized on the JEDC website and all presentations, publications, newsletters, and collateral materials. Investment levels* range from $700 to $10,000+ with increasing benefits. Additionally, your sponsorship of specific JEDC programs and events (e.g., FIRST® in Alaska, the Innovation Summit, or the Juneau Maritime Festival) will increase your overall Investor recognition level.
| *All packaging is customizable. We look forward to connecting with you to discuss your company's goals and ensure you get the most return on your investment! | | | |
Current Promotion:
Among other deals, our "Get $10 After Spending $100" promotion is currently running for Mar y Sol, Coppa, Seong's Sushi, Imagination Station, and Forno Rosso. Rewards accumulate in the app and can be spent at any local businesses that accepts TLF dollars.
Local Change:
Remember to "Round Up" in the app for a non-profit of your choice! New options include the Downtown Business Association, Juneau Animal Rescue, and Cancer Connection.
*Sponsorship Opportunity*
This closed-loop spending initiative keeps dollars circulating among Juneau businesses. If you share JEDC's commitment to local reinvestment, economic resilience, and the long-term health of the businesses that anchor our community, let us know.
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Creating more childcare capacity in Juneau by assisting new or existing
childcare providers to access, improve or expand the physical infrastructure needed to deliver a quality childcare program to more families.
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| | Southeast Alaska Revolving Loan Fund | If you have a project that will create or retain jobs in Southeast Alaska, JEDC could be the lender you've been looking for! | | | | |
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Aaron Morrison, Chair
Chancellor Aparna Palmer, Vice-Chair
Todd Schur, Treasurer
Melissa Kookesh, Secretary
Melissa Beedle
Trenton English
Keith Greene
Marc Guevarra
Brian Kleinhenz
Mayor Beth Weldon
Maureen Hall, Assembly Liaison
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JEDC's FIVE AREAS OF FOCUS
• Help Make Juneau a Great (Capital) City
• Strengthen Key Regional Industries
• Develop Talent
• Promote Entrepreneurship & Small Business
• Deliver Economic Services
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We invite you to invest in Juneau by becoming a JEDC Investor. Show your support of the work done to advance Juneau and Southeast Alaska's economy.
Supporting JEDC impacts the long-term economic success of Alaska's Capital City while creating a business climate that bolsters your business or organization.
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We welcome your thoughts and feedback!
If you find JEDC News to be of interest and value, please forward the newsletter to your friends and colleagues.
Brian Holst
Executive Director
Juneau Economic Development Council
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