HOUSTON, TX – Bank of America today announced five Houston high school juniors and seniors were selected as Student Leaders® (#BofAStudentLeaders), an eight-week summer internship providing students with first-hand experience in serving their communities. These students have started their paid internship experience of workforce skills, leadership, and civic engagement with local nonprofits, including Avenue CDC and Houston Area Urban League. As part of the program, they will earn $17 per hour and receive a Chromebook. This year, students will have the option to voluntarily participate in in-person activities as part of the internship.
During the pandemic, youth workers accounted for nearly 30% of job losses in the Houston region. 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. Along with the Student Leaders program, Bank of America is connecting more than 90 teens and young adults to paid jobs and internships across Houston with SERJobs and the bank’s own Financial Center Intern Program as part of its commitment to workforce development as a pathway to economic mobility.
“Bank of America remains committed to supporting young adults by connecting them to jobs, community engagement opportunities and leadership development,” said Hong Ogle, president, Bank of America Houston. “We recognize young adults are the future of Houston, 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 2022 Houston Bank of America Student Leaders are:
- Hank Davis, Stratford High School
- Victoria Gong, Memorial High School
- Sydney Mathew, Shadow Creek High School
- Maria Junaid, Morton Ranch High School
- Jesutofunmi Oluwaleke, Alief Taylor High School
These five students were selected for their leadership, background, passion and commitment to community.
- Hank is the founder of HankTcharities.com, an organization that gives back to those in need. He is also a School Buzz Student Editor for The Buzz Magazines.
- Victoria runs a small jewelry business called Acacia Jewelry and donates a portion of its proceeds to Fair Girls. She volunteers with Interns4Good and is senior class student council vice president.
- Sydney is involved in Student Council, DECA, Chess Club, Academic Decathlon, National Honor Society, History Honor Society, Marker Recycling Program, Bollywood and KPOP dance teams, and a blog writer for CollegeXpress.
- Maria is a varsity track and field athlete and involved in Health Occupation Students of America, SNHS, ASA and student council. She volunteers at her church and was recently named a QuestBridge College Prep scholar and is a National African American Scholar.
- Jesutofunmi is involved in the Community Outreach Missions Education Team, Health Occupation Students of America and is senior class secretary. She recently became a Texas Association of Future Educators National Qualifier for Service Project Visualize, and volunteers at her local district community garden and with Alief Super Neighborhood Council.
Started in 2004, the Student Leaders program recognizes 300 community-focused juniors and seniors from across the U.S. annually. The Houston-based Student Leaders are participating in programming that includes a collaborative, mentor-focused project with Avenue CDC and Houston Area Urban League. Bank of America Student Leaders will also participate in a virtual Leadership Summit, delivered in partnership with the Close Up Foundation. The Summit will include opportunities to engage with congressional leaders, hear from leaders in civil and human rights and the Stanford University 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).