Two Juneau kids qualified, and the youth board's fund is nearly empty

Sonny Mazon Jr. won one of 18 Western Region roster spots for the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program's inter-regional event next January. Getting there costs $2,885 in airfare, lodging and program fees, and he has asked Juneau's Youth Activities Board to cover it.

Maia Cole-Undurraga asked the same board for $720.06 in February, for airfare, a car rental and fees to swim at the Alaska Junior Olympic Championship. Nothing in the board's packet records an award.

Together the two requests come to $3,605. The board's contingency fund ended fiscal 2026 with $1,237.52.

It started that year with $17,500. Eight awards totaling $16,262.48 spent nearly all of it.

"As budgets get tighter for the non-profit youth programs, these pools of money are becoming more strained," board chair Tom Rutecki wrote.

The board meets Sept. 8. Its last posted minutes are from April 15.