The Baltimore Development Corporation is expanding its youth engagement efforts by connecting young people across the city to experiences that expose them to new opportunities, industries and possibilities for their future.

On Saturday, BDC will host Baltimore youth from community partner organizations at CFG Bank Arena for the Hot Wheels Monster Trucks: Glow-N-Fire show. The experience is part of a broader initiative designed to introduce students to new environments while strengthening partnerships with organizations that serve Baltimore youth throughout the year.

BDC is working alongside LET’S GO™, a nonprofit organization focused on STEM learning and youth development through hands-on exposure to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The CFG Bank Arena visit marks the first of several planned experiences for young people, with future events expected to include a Don Toliver concert and other activities hosted at the arena.

The initiative reflects BDC’s belief that economic development is not only about attracting businesses, supporting infrastructure and growing investment, but also about preparing the next generation of Baltimoreans to participate in the city’s future.

“Economic development is ultimately about people. We can invest in buildings, infrastructure and businesses, but we also have to invest in the next generation of Baltimoreans,” said Otis Rolley, president and CEO of the Baltimore Development Corporation. “By creating opportunities for young people to see new experiences, meet mentors and explore what’s possible, we’re helping build the workforce, entrepreneurs and leaders who will shape Baltimore’s future.”

The CFG Bank Arena experience is one piece of a larger youth-focused effort BDC launched this spring to connect Baltimore students to careers, industries and real-world learning opportunities tied to the city’s economy.

In March, BDC began recruitment for its 2026 Summer Internship Program. Six rising seniors and recent graduates from Baltimore-area universities were selected to participate. The interns are scheduled to begin next month and will spend eight weeks working across BDC divisions. During the program, they will support live economic development projects and present capstone research to senior leadership.

Each intern will receive an $8,000 stipend and may earn an additional performance bonus of up to $2,000. The program is designed to help strengthen Baltimore’s talent retention pipeline by giving students direct exposure to economic development, city-building and public-private sector leadership.

BDC has also been working to introduce younger students to industries that are active and growing in the city. Last month, the organization partnered with Baltimore City Public Schools to host a manufacturing tour for students from Carver Vocational-Technical High School. Students visited Matriarch Coffee in Halethorpe, Open Works on Greenmount Avenue and SewLab USA on East Preston Street.

During the tour, students met business founders, toured production spaces and learned more about manufacturing, entrepreneurship and career pathways available in the Baltimore region.

“We were impressed by the students’ engagement and curiosity,” said Jean Christophe Rusatira, co-founder of Matriarch Coffee. “It is rewarding to be part of an initiative that highlights the manufacturing ecosystem in Baltimore and helps students explore potential career paths.”

Earlier this year, BDC also partnered with Baltimore Brothers Inc. to provide youth participants with access to Fight Night: Boxing Returns to Baltimore, an event held at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor in partnership with BDC and community stakeholders.

For Andrew Muhammad, chief executive officer of Baltimore Brothers Inc., the value of these experiences goes beyond a single event.

“I’ve spent my career working with young people the system had already written off — young men who were one decision away from a very different life,” Muhammad said. “What I know from that work is that access changes trajectories. When a kid sees that someone with resources actually wants them in the room, something shifts. That’s what BDC is doing, and that’s why Baltimore Brothers is all in.”

Together, the programs point to a larger strategy focused on access, exposure and opportunity. Whether through internships, industry tours, community events or partnerships with youth-serving organizations, BDC aims to help young people see themselves as part of Baltimore’s future economy.

By bringing students into spaces like CFG Bank Arena, local businesses, manufacturing facilities and professional development programs, BDC is working to make economic development more visible and more personal for Baltimore youth.

The goal is not only to show young people what is happening in their city, but to help them imagine their place in shaping what comes next.

The Baltimore Development Corporation is the entity responsible for economic development in the City of Baltimore. Its mission is to grow the city’s economy in an inclusive manner by retaining, expanding and attracting businesses and promoting investment, while increasing career opportunities for residents. More information is available at baltimoredevelopment.com.