From the Bronx to Atlanta: Six Days at Invest Fest 2026

On August 4, 2026, before most of New York City was awake, 62 young people from the Bronx boarded buses at 3 a.m. Some knew exactly what they were looking forward to. Others were simply curious about what the next six days would bring. By the time they returned to the Bronx on August 10, something had changed. They came home with new connections, new knowledge, new confidence, and, perhaps most importantly, a bigger vision for what their future could look like. This was never just a trip to Invest Fest. It was an intentional journey designed to give young people exposure, access, preparation, and the confidence to act on what they learned.

For Roads to Success CEO Sheila Duke, the goal was bigger than getting young people to Atlanta. She wanted our youth to experience what can happen when opportunity meets preparation. Together with Council Member Kevin Riley and Aimhigh, she worked to make sure our young people had the tools and experiences they needed to make the most of the trip.

From the college experience to entrepreneurship and financial literacy, every part of the journey was designed with purpose.

Because exposure matters.

You can tell a young person to dream bigger, but there is something powerful about actually putting them on a college campus, introducing them to entrepreneurs and investors, watching them network with industry leaders, and giving them a microphone to pitch an idea. That is when possibility starts to feel real.

Our first stop of this trip was James Madison University, where our young people had the opportunity to tour a college campus and begin thinking about their own paths after high school.

For some, it was their first college tour. College can feel like an abstract idea when you only hear about it in a classroom. Walking in to a campus, seeing the classrooms and residence halls, and imagining yourself as a student there makes that possibility much more tangible.

When we arrived in Atlanta next day, the excitement was obvious. This years’ experience included Earner's Academy, planned and hosted by Earn Your Leisure, giving our youth an opportunity to learn, connect, pitch and compete. Last year, RTS youth Michael became an Invest Fest Pitch Competition winner. This year, he returned to Atlanta and found himself back onstage, this time bringing everything he had learned and experienced over the past year with him. When Michael stepped up to pitch at Earner's Academy, he was prepared, confident, and he did exceptionally well. Watching him represent the Bronx in that room was one of those moments that reminds us exactly why access and exposure matter. This wasn't confidence that appeared overnight. It was confidence built through opportunity, preparation, mentorship, and experience.

Michael's story became one of many examples throughout the trip of our young people realizing that they belong in these spaces.

The most important parts of the experience happened between the big moments. It happened in hallways, at sessions, walking between events,and in conversations with speakers and entrepreneurs.

Our youth were encouraged to introduce themselves, ask questions, exchange information, and make meaningful connections. For some young people, approaching an accomplished professional can be intimidating. But we watched that change. We watched youth who might have initially hung back begin stepping forward. We heard them talk about who they met, what they learned and what they wanted to do next.

Invest Fest gave our young people exposure to conversations around entrepreneurship, investing, financial literacy, business ownership and building wealth. But perhaps the biggest lesson was seeing people who had built something, and realizing,  I can do this too. Our youth weren't just watching from the sidelines. They were asking questions, networking, pitching. They were listening and taking notes. They were imagining themselves in those rooms in the future, not as guests, but as the people leading the conversations.

What people see on social media are the smiles, the stage moments, the pitches and the group photos. What they don't always see is everything happening behind the scenes to make those moments possible. Our Programming team and chaperones made sure no young person felt unattended. They knew when a student needed encouragement, when someone needed a little push to step outside their comfort zone, and when it was time simply to listen. They weren't just supervising a trip. They were supporting young people through an experience that, for many, was completely new. Our Marketing and Operation teams worked hand in hand throughout the trip to make sure our youth had what they needed, and that no story went untold. From logistics and schedules to communication, content capture and the countless details that have to come together when you're moving a group of 62 young people across multiple cities, there was a tremendous amount happening behind the scenes.

At Roads to Success, we often talk about preparing young people for success. This trip reminded us that preparation isn't just about giving young people information. It is about giving them access and exposure.It is about giving them the opportunity to practice what they've learned inreal-world environments. And it is about having adults around them who believe in them.

For six days, 62 Bronx youth were given the chance to do exactly that.

And they showed us what they can do when they have the tools, the support, and the opportunity.

The trip may be over. But the impact is just beginning.