Bank of America 2021 Student Leaders Work with Atlanta Nonprofits
Paid Summer Internships Connect Atlanta Youth to Career Building Opportunities with East Lake Foundation and Grove Park Foundation
Bank of America recently selected five Atlanta high school juniors and seniors to serve as Student Leaders (#BofAStudentLeaders). As part of the Student Leaders Program, these impressive young adults have started their paid summer internships with two local Atlanta nonprofits, East Lake Foundation and Grove Park Foundation, where they are gaining workforce, leadership, and civic engagement skills. Similar to last year, the program has been adapted to a virtual format.
While this is the ninth year East Lake Foundation has hosted Bank of America Student Leaders from Atlanta, it is the first time they have partnered with another Purpose Built Communities’ network member, Grove Park Foundation, as a host. Since 2013, more than 30 Atlanta Student Leaders have interned with the East Lake Foundation, an organization that works to enable residents in Atlanta’s East Lake neighborhood and families at Charles R. Drew Charter School to build a better future for themselves through its integrated and holistic model for community revitalization that includes mixed-income housing, high-quality education, and community wellness.
“Bank of America remains committed to supporting young adults by connecting them to jobs, community engagement opportunities and leadership development,” said Wendy Stewart, President, Bank of America Atlanta. “We recognize young adults are the future of our community, which is why programs like Student Leaders are one way we can provide paid opportunities for students to gain job experience while developing a diverse pipeline of talent as they enter the local workforce.”
The Class of 2021 Atlanta Bank of America Student Leaders are:
• Oumy Gueye, Atlanta, graduate of Booker T. Washington High School, enrolling in Emory University
• Minji Kang, Newnan, graduate of East Coweta High School, enrolling in Georgia Institute of Technology
• Divine Madubike, Atlanta, graduate of North Springs High School, enrolling in Mercer University
• Esther Ceballo Ortiz, Atlanta, Westlake High School (Class of 2022)
• Jamal Sayid, Lawrenceville, graduate of Grayson High School, enrolling in Rice University
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Bank of America and host Student Leaders in East Lake again this year,” said Daniel Jr. Shoy, Jr. , President and CEO of the East Lake Foundation. “We have been impressed with their diversity of thought and appetite for learning and are grateful for the impact they are making, both in East Lake and in Grove Park.”
The Student Leaders program, which started in 2004, recognizes 300 community-focused juniors and seniors from across the U.S. annually. The Atlanta-based Student Leaders will engage in an eight-week paid internship and participate in programming that includes a collaborative, mentor-focused project working closely with both East Lake Foundation and Grove Park Foundation on special events and strategies to impact their communities for change. For example, the students are working with East Lake Foundation on a Back-to-School event at the end of the month to provide school supplies to residents in the East Lake neighborhood and a survey for Grove Park residents to determine the needs of the community in the area of housing, health care, education, arts and economics.
In a fast-changing job market, without access to career skills-building opportunities like those offered by the Student Leaders Program and other youth employment programs, many young people may be left behind, leading to higher rates of youth unemployment. As part of its commitment to workforce development as pathway to economic mobility, Bank of America is supporting over 50 students in the Summer Youth Employment program with Goodwill of North Georgia. This program connects teens and young adults to paid jobs and internships across Atlanta and will include Better Money Habits sessions for all students. Additionally, Bank of America is working with the Urban League of Greater Atlanta for their Financial Center Intern Program, which is employing five students this summer virtually.
As part of this summer’s program, Student Leaders will also take part in a virtual Summit in partnership with the Close Up Foundation allowing them to participate in Stanford University’s Young Democracy at Home program, which encourages conversation about current issues facing young people today.
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