Roads to Success

A decade of connecting young people with the knowledge, people, and opportunities to shape their futures.

Presented by Roads to Success(RTS) in partnership with The City College of New York, the 2026 Success Summit brought together young people ages 14 to 24 from across New York City for a full day of career exploration, educational discovery, leadership, financial literacy, technology, the arts, and more.

Great Hall - The City College of New York

For RTS, the milestone was especially meaningful. 2026 marks both the 10th anniversary of the Success Summit and Roads to Success’ 25th year serving New York City youth.

The Success Summit was created to help answer those questions, not by giving young people a single path to follow, but by introducing them to a world of possibilities. Since its launch a decade ago, the Success Summit has remained grounded in a simple idea: access can change what young people believe is possible.

Larry Hackett, Meisha Porter, and Sheila Duke

Throughout the day, participants engaged with accomplished professionals, educators, community leaders, and fellow young people through keynote conversations, interactive workshops, and thought-provoking panel discussions. The conversations went beyond traditional career exploration. Young people had opportunities to think about their futures, learn about college pathways, understand financial literacy, explore careers that serve communities, strengthen leadership skills, and discover how their interests and talents could translate into meaningful opportunities. The2026 Summit featured an extraordinary group of keynote speakers who shared perspectives on success, service, leadership, and overcoming barriers.

Speakers included Yesenia Mata, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Veterans’ Services; Dr. Vincent G. Boudreau, President of The City College of New York; Dr. Tony M. Liss, Provost of The City College of New York; and Dr. Meisha Porter, Visiting Senior Fellow at the Center for Educational Innovation.

Their stories and insights reinforced an important message: there is no single definition of success, and there is no single route to achieving it.

For young people, hearing directly from leaders about their experiences can make future possibilities feel more tangible. A career that once seemed distant becomes something they can explore. A college pathway becomes easier to understand. A challenge becomes something they can prepare to navigate.

The Summit's breakout sessions gave participants the opportunity to move from listening to doing. Each session offered a different way for young people to think about their goals and the steps required to move toward them. Whether a participant was already thinking about a specific career or still figuring out what interested them, the Summit provided a space to ask questions, gain practical knowledge, and begin imagining a future on their own terms.

Connecting youth with professionals, educators, institutions, and role models can open doors to information and experiences they may not otherwise encounter. Just as importantly, it can help young people recognize that they belong in spaces where decisions about their futures are being made.

For 25 years, RTS has worked alongside New York City youth to help them discover their potential, pursue their passions, and build pathways toward brighter futures. Since 2001, RTS has served more than 100,000 young people, reaching more than 8,000 youth and young adults each year through academic support, social-emotional learning, workforce development, financial literacy, wellness,and college and career readiness. The Success Summit is one expression of that broader commitment: creating opportunities for young people to learn, connect, envision, and take their nextstep.

As Roads to Success celebrates 25 years of serving New York City youth, the organization remains focused on the future, and on the young people who will shape it.