Paid Summer Internships Connected Local Teens to Career-Building Opportunities
TAMPA, Fla. – Bank of America recently announced four Tampa Bay area high school juniors and seniors were selected as Student Leaders® (#BofAStudentLeaders), an eight-week paid summer internship providing students with first-hand experience in serving their communities. As part of the program, the students developed leadership and practical workforce skills while working with local nonprofits, including Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay and Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast, all while earning $17 per hour.
With changing economic environments and a shifting job market, young people need access to workforce experience and career skills-building opportunities. The private sector has a role to play to help better position and support young adults to be successful in today’s workforce. In addition to the Student Leaders program, Bank of America connected six Boys and Girls Club teens to local financial center internships this summer and provided funding to Pinellas Education Foundation to support 47 jobs for youth across Pinellas County.
“By providing the pathways and resources for young adults to gain the foundational work skills and leadership experience they need to succeed, we are investing in Tampa’s long-term economic growth,” said Bill Goede, president, Bank of America Tampa Bay. “The teens selected for this paid summer intern program are truly extraordinary but may not have had access to opportunities like this until now. The Student Leaders program is just one example of how we connect people to meaningful employment resources that also builds a stronger pipeline of diverse talent for our local workforce.”
The class of 2023 Tampa Bay Bank of America Student Leaders are:
• Elise Tong, recent graduate of Largo High School: To help give juvenile offenders a second chance, Elise volunteers in Teen Court, where she serves as the bailiff and the jury foreperson, training new volunteers and providing opening statements. At her school, she was ranked first among 431 International Baccalaureate® Students, and served as the Science Olympiad captain, the Future Business Leaders of America executive president and the National Honor Society vice president.
• Ethan Koh, rising senior at Lakewood High School: Ethan dedicates his time to helping others by serving on the board of the Florida Key Club, one of the largest and oldest student-led organizations providing local students with a variety of opportunities to volunteer and serve the community. As Division 13 Lt. Governor for the St. Petersburg area, Ethan coordinates service opportunities for local members, serving as leader of St. Pete Key officers and the primary coordinator for service hour tracking and club logistics. Most recently, Florida Key Club awarded Ethan the Leader-of-Leader’s award for outstanding dedication and commitment to his role.
• Muyao Guan, rising senior at Newsome High School: At a young age, Muyao cultivated a love for reading. Determined to help her community find a shared love for learning, she served as the social media intern for the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. To further her academic pursuits, Muyao plays a leadership role in her school’s STEM club, serving as an outreach officer and the bridge building team leader. In her volunteer time, she serves alongside Feeding Tampa Bay, Seeds of Hope and Humane Society of Tampa Bay.
• Emmanuel Chanda, rising senior at Dunedin High School: Emmanuel serves as the vice president of his school’s American Sign Language club and is an active member of the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Club, where he helps raise funds for college field trips and prepare students for college applications or their future careers. As part of his leadership journey, Emmanuel joined the Student Leader program to make a difference in his local community and learn about the traits of a successful community leader.
The Student Leaders recently traveled to Washington D.C. for a week-long, all-expenses-paid, national leadership summit focused on the power of cross-sector collaboration and community advocacy. At the first in-person Summit since 2019, Student Leaders from across the nation discussed the importance of civic engagement and meet with members of Congress.
Started in 2004, the Student Leaders program recognizes 300 community-focused juniors and seniors from across the U.S. annually. The Tampa Bay-based Student Leaders are participating in programming that includes a collaborative, mentor-focused project with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay and Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast.
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Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 68 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,900 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs and award-winning digital banking with approximately 56 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
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