Civic Hall Launches Free Summer STEM & Innovation Camp for Middle and High School Students

New York, NY — Today Civic Hall announced the launch of its inaugural Summer STEM & Innovation Camp, a four-week immersive program beginning July 6, designed to introduce middle and high school students to cutting-edge technology, hands-on learning, and future career pathways in STEM and innovation. 

The program will be offered free of charge to all participating students in its first year, ensuring broad access to high-quality summer learning and enrichment opportunities. 

The program will take place at Civic Hall’s The Bernard Goldstein Center at Union Square and will run Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Students will take part in a fun, highly engaging, and hands-on program, building projects across a wide range of STEM and innovation fields, including coding, artificial intelligence, robotics, game design, digital media, and emerging technologies. 

“This program reflects our belief that opportunity in the innovation economy must begin early and be accessible to all,” said Christine McMahon, President and CEO of Fedcap, the parent organization of Civic Hall. “By opening Civic Hall to young learners this summer, we are creating pathways into STEM and technology careers while giving students the tools, exposure, and support they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world.” 

Participants will work alongside leading training providers and educators from Civic Hall’s ecosystem. Innovators Inc. will lead programming for middle schoolers (grades 6-8), with modules covering renewable energy devices, engineering, and creative design to introduce foundational concepts in science, engineering, and problem-solving. Gamr will serve both middle and high school students, delivering a four-week AI and technology intensive in which high schoolers build real-world projects using industry tools, culminating in a capstone experience. 

The program is designed with flexible participation options for younger students, who may enroll in one-week, two-week, or full-program sessions, while high school students must commit to the full four-week experience to ensure continuity in project development and capstone work. 

Additional programming will be offered through Civic Hall’s New York Tech Alliance network, bringing in industry partners to deliver hands-on workshops and experiences in robotics, space technology, gaming, and other high-growth innovation sectors. 

Throughout the program, students will collaborate on projects that reflect real-world challenges and opportunities in the tech sector. At the conclusion of the camp, the top five capstone projects developed by high school participants will each be awarded a $1,000 scholarship to support continued educational and career exploration. 

“This summer camp reflects why I chose to support Civic Hall and why its Union Square home proudly bears the name The Bernard Goldstein Center—in honor of my husband’s belief in technology as a force for the public good,” said Patricia Goldstein. “He believed deeply that innovation should expand opportunity, not limit it, and that spaces like Civic Hall can open doors for the next generation. This summer program brings that vision to life—giving young people hands-on exposure to technology, creativity, and new possibilities, all in a supportive and inspiring environment. Providing access like this, especially at no cost to families, is a meaningful way to carry that legacy forward and ensure more students can see themselves in the future of innovation.” 

The Civic Hall Summer STEM & Innovation Camp is a comprehensive, student-centered program, offering free meals, free transportation, job fairs, and access to Civic Hall’s innovation community—equipping students with connections and confidence for the future. 

“This is more than a summer camp; it is an early entry point into Civic Hall’s broader ecosystem of education, training, and workforce development,” said Jim Malatras, Chief Strategy Officer and Senior Vice President for Education at Fedcap. “By engaging students through hands-on projects, exposure to industry partners, and real-world applications—including AI, robotics, and gaming—we are helping to shape the next generation of innovators with programming that is both rigorous and inspiring.” 

Civic Hall anticipates expanding the program in future years to include younger students, creating a full continuum of early exposure to STEM and innovation. 

For more information on how to enroll, click here.