Student Leaders program and Boys & Girls Clubs connect young people to jobs, skills-building and opportunities to strengthen our community
Phoenix – The five Valley students selected as Bank of America’s Student Leaders have started their paid summer internship experience of workforce skills, leadership, and civic engagement with local nonprofit Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley. This year, students are earning $17 per hour and have the option to voluntarily participate in in-person activities as part of the internship.
Without access to career skills-building opportunities like the Student Leaders program, many young people may be left behind from a fast-changing job market, leading to higher rates of youth unemployment. As part of its commitment to workforce development, Bank of America also has invested $171,000 to support Youth Employment programs through Boys & Girls Clubs across Arizona. In addition, the bank is connecting teens and young adults to paid jobs and internships through additional partnerships with organizations such as Arizona State University and Pima Community College.
“Bank of America remains committed to supporting young adults in Phoenix by investing in a broad ecosystem that connects them to jobs, community engagement opportunities and leadership development,” said Benito Almanza, president, Bank of America Phoenix. “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 complete Class of 2021 Arizona Bank of America Student Leaders are:
- Bryan, Laveen, Betty H. Fairfax High School
- Katelyn, Scottsdale, BASIS Scottsdale
- Gabriela, Glendale, Independence High School
- Luca, Mesa, BASIS Mesa
- Katherine, Chandler, BASIS Chandler
- Alex, Tucson, BASIS Tucson North
- Jimena, Tucson, Salpointe Catholic High School
The Student Leaders program, which started in 2004, recognizes 300 community-focused juniors and seniors from across the U.S. annually. The Phoenix-based Student Leaders are engaging in an eight-week paid internship and participating in programming that includes a collaborative, mentor-focused project working closely with Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley through their AZYouthforce Program.
In addition, the students received Chromebooks and are participating virtually in sessions on the vital role nonprofits play in advancing community health and the importance of public-private partnerships to drive social change while building financial acumen. As part of this summer’s program, Student Leaders just completed 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.
Bank of America
At Bank of America, we’re guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We’re delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It’s demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Learn more at about.bankofamerica.com, and connect with us on Twitter (@BofA_News).
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Reporters May Contact:
Britney Sheehan
Bank of America
425.533.4531
britney.w.sheehan@bofa.com
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