Building Skills, Confidence, and Community: Inside Fiver’s Investment Camp & Internship Program
Each spring, Fiver high school participants take part in two powerful, parallel programs designed to build real-world skills and prepare them for future success: Investment Camp and the Fiver Internship Program. The Investment Camp Program is a unique, long-running partnership between Neuberger Berman and Fiver, bringing financial literacy education to high schoolers for nearly a decade. Over eight weeks, students engage in virtual workshops and in-person sessions led by financial professionals, learning the fundamentals of investing, personal finance, and wealth management. The experience leaves a lasting impression on participants, many of whom walk away with new confidence, skills, and clarity about their financial futures:
“Meeting people from Neuberger Berman showed me how important it is to advocate for myself, ask questions, and start thinking about where to invest my money now instead of later. Fiver has given us the resources to do better when the time comes."
- Danyela ’27
"My first year, I didn’t really have friends because everyone was busy. But through Investment Camp, I learned how to communicate better, advocate for myself, and put myself out there. I made great friendships and even earned a lot of bonuses because I used my voice and effort to speak up for what I wanted."
- Gabby ’29
Running concurrently, the Fiver Internship Program offers participants in grades 9–12 a paid, hands-on opportunity to contribute directly to the Fiver community. Meeting twice a week across the same eight-week period, interns collaborate on internal projects aligned with their interests — from design and marketing to programming and community resources. This year’s projects include:
Fiver Online Yearbook: Interns are creating a digital yearbook to celebrate milestones, share stories, and offer a space for the Fiver community to reflect and connect year-round.
Office Beautification & Resource Updating: This team is reimagining how the Fiver office can better serve youth and families—enhancing the physical space while curating mental health, educational, and community-based resources.
Year-Round Program Design: Interns are designing monthly Teen Nights and Socials from September through May—tailoring programming to teen interests and taking the lead in planning and execution.
Fiver Merchandise Catalog: This group is developing a collection of Fiver-branded merchandise that reflects the spirit of the community—exploring product ideas, styles, and designs to potentially share with alumni, board members, and supporters.
Social Media & Marketing Campaign: Interns are building a campaign to increase Fiver’s visibility, crafting creative content that shares Fiver’s story and promotes upcoming events.
Fiver youth presented their final projects and pitches at the Fiver office, highlighting ideas developed through their internships. At Neuberger Berman, they concluded Investment Camp with a reflective closing session.
These programs wouldn’t be possible without the dedication and thoughtful leadership of Jesus Cortes, Fiver’s Program Associate, who oversees planning, coordination, and facilitation—alongside Fiver’s programming team and our partners at Neuberger Berman. His role ensures that every session is intentional, impactful, and aligned with the interests and goals of our teens.
“When designing and leading programs like the Internship Program and Investment Camp, I center youth voice, choice, and leadership—creating spaces where Fiver teens feel seen, heard, and empowered. I always come back to the core of SEL and Positive Youth Development—creating meaningful experiences where students feel empowered, connected, and challenged. I love finding moments to gently push Fivers out of their comfort zones. That’s where the real growth happens. The most rewarding part this year has been watching them rise to those moments—gaining confidence, building community, and stepping into their potential.”
Together, these two programs help Fivers take meaningful steps toward their futures — gaining skills, exploring interests, and contributing to a community that has supported them along the way.
With the support of the Office Beautification Team, we’ve made some exciting updates — a new welcoming entrance lounge for guests and Fivers, and fresh cubbies in the Warren for our younger participants to store their belongings during program.
