Paid summer internship experience of workforce skills, leadership, and civic engagement
Unfortunately, many young people may be left behind from a fast-changing job market, leading to higher youth unemployment rates. By its commitment to workforce development and pathway to economic mobility Bank of America (BOFA) has been making a difference for 18 years by connecting teens and young adults to paid jobs and internships! Check out how this program works and makes the world a better place!
The Student Leaders program
Since 2004 BOFA has recognized 300 community-focused juniors and seniors from across the US annually. The Miami-based Student Leaders program engages in an eight-week paid internship and participates closely with YMCA South Florida in programming that includes:
- A collaborative, mentor-focused project.
- Virtual participation in sessions on nonprofits' vital role in advancing community health. Not to mention, the importance of public-private partnerships to drive social change while building financial acumen.
Bank of America Student Leader Program Benefits
Bank of America through the Student Leaders Program is making a difference by connecting teens and young adults to paid jobs and internships throughout South Florida offering grants for local colleges and universities, including Miami Dade College and Florida International University, to expand workforce readiness programs.
"Bank of America remains committed to supporting young adults by connecting them to jobs, community engagement opportunities, and leadership development," said Gene Schaefer, President, Bank of America Miami. “Programs like Student Leaders are an investment in empowering the problem solvers of tomorrow.
With this long-standing initiative today, five student leaders are equipped with exceptional individual skills.
The Class of 2021 Miami Bank of America Student Leaders
- Anthony Lara, a graduate of Miami Senior High School, founded Missione Aiuta La Terra, an organization dedicated to fighting social issues surrounding racial inequalities and medical reformation for equitable justice.
- Jacob Grindstaff, a graduate of Miami Palmetto Senior High School, who organized a virtual talent show and raised $1,500 for Feeding the Frontlines to help nourish frontline healthcare workers and aid small businesses at the epicenter of COVID-19 in New York City last year.
- Kenya Handfield, a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School, founded FRESH, an organization to advance literacy in underserved communities that recently raised over 13,000 book donations for African American and Hispanic/Latino children in low- to moderate-income areas communities.
- Remy LeMaire, a rising senior at Immaculata La Salle High School who served on the executive board of Service and Leadership for Today and Tomorrow (SALTT), a school organization that works closely with migrant children and families from Guatemala.
- Thairol Borrego Oliva, a recent graduate of Westland Hialeah Senior High School, who serves as Assistant Program Director the Superhero Leadership Academy, which establishes forums that deliver a growth-focused curriculum with an emphasis on fostering personal confidence and leadership skills.
As part of this summer's program, Student Leaders participated in a Virtual Summit in partnership with the Close Up Foundation to participate in Stanford University’s Young Democracy at Home program, which encourages conversation about current issues facing young people today.
BOFA is demonstrating once more the inclusive and supportive workplace they create for their employees, the responsible products and services they offer to clients, and the impact around the world helping local economies thrive. Career skills-building opportunities like the Student Leaders program are undoubtedly empowering the problem solvers of tomorrow. ! Way to go, BOFA!
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