Thirteen Summit-area high school students flew to Florida this summer for the first time in the YMCA Achievers Program's history, trading the bus rides of past college tours for a plane trip to visit four colleges and universities in and around Miami.

The free college and career preparation program, run by the Summit Area YMCA for students in grades 9–12, has organized summer campus tours before. In 2023, students visited six colleges across three states by ground transportation. But the summer 2026 trip marked the program's first airborne tour, according to a blog post by Olivia Williams published Wednesday, July 29 on the YMCA's website.

Many had never been to Florida.

At Florida Memorial University, Summit High School basketball players ran drills on the court with basketball coach Anthony Anderson. Students also met Olympic medalist and track coach Dwayne Miller, who spoke about goal-setting and preparation.

The trip included a connection to a familiar face. Jourdan Banks, a 2018 Summit High School graduate and former Achievers student, met with the touring group. Banks is scheduled to earn her doctorate from Florida International University in December 2026. She spoke to students about her college journey and encouraged them to keep pushing toward their goals.

At the YMCA's 138th Annual Celebration on April 29, Achievers alumna Jade Augustin, a 2025 Summit High School graduate heading to Rutgers–New Brunswick, said the program helped her explore career paths, understand the college process, and build lasting friendships, according to the YMCA.

Beyond campus visits, students took in the FIFA World Cup atmosphere at Bayside Marketplace and Bayfront Park, toured the Frost Museum of Science and Fun Dimension, and explored Little Havana and Boca Raton.

The Achievers Program serves communities including Summit, Berkeley Heights, and New Providence. In 2025, five Summit-area students received named scholarships through the program, including the H. Leon Cross Scholarship, the Frederick J. Watts Scholarship, and the Dwight Giles Achievers Scholarship.

Registration for the 2026–2027 Achievers cohort opens in August. Families can check the program page for exact dates and enrollment details.