The Road Trip for Success college tour is a week-long, out-of-state travel and learning experience for young people in the Midnight Golf Program, combining college visits, cultural exposure, and playing golf.

Once accepted into the Midnight Golf Program, youth are incentivized to maintain a stellar attendance record to be eligible for trips, special outings, and scholarship opportunities available only to MGP students. One major incentive is our annual, weeklong Road Trip for Success college, cultural, and golf tour. The purpose of the trip is to allow our students, many of whom have never left the region or come from low-to-moderate income or first-generation college families, to see first-hand the possibilities for their future and practice the life skills they’ve learned throughout the program year.

This annual trip occurs during Spring Break and is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to:

• Travel – For many students, this is their first trip outside of the state
• Tour college campuses and meet with school administrators
• Play a round of golf at prestigious golf courses
• Explore a variety of cultural and historical sites
• Meet MGP alumni who are enrolled in college.

The Road Trip for Success has delivered incredible outcomes since it began in 2008:

• 1,400 students have participated
• In 2019, 45 students received admission and $129,000 from visited schools as a result of the trip.
• Students receive brand-new golf clubs, clothing, and equipment

This year’s trip will take place during spring break with 200 high school seniors and 60 mentors.

With 70% of our students coming from low-to-moderate-income families, affordability is crucial to make this trip accessible and successful. With a total trip cost of $350,000 ($1,750/student), the trip is heavily subsidized. Participants are asked to pay $300 each and those who cannot afford it can apply for a full subsidy. Participant fees cover about 13% of the overall budget with the remaining revenue consisting of grant funding, corporate sponsorship, our annual Bowl-A-Thon fundraiser and individual donations.