Ana Chaves Hopes To Serve, Inspire, and Change Through Leadership

From a very young age, Carlos Chaves taught his daughter, Ana, to always strive for excellence and, when possible, help others get there, too.

Over the summer, just a year removed from his death, the 16-year-old Bloomfield Township resident took that advice to new heights.

Chaves, now a senior at the International Academy, was among 225 students selected nationwide in Bank of America's Student Leaders Program, which recognizes high school juniors and seniors who demonstrate a commitment to their community and volunteerism.

The initiative is part of Bank of America’s ongoing philanthropic commitment to providing community-minded students with access and exposure to critical resources that will bolster their work and life skills while also benefiting the community, said Brett Bernard, Michigan president of Bank of America.

To that end, Chaves earned a paid, eight-week summer internship with Focus: HOPE and attended the Bank of America’s Student Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. in July with all the other honorees. While there, she and other youth volunteers participated in leadership training, workshops and briefings on Capitol Hill, and got to explore national issues that could shape the rest of their academic and professional careers.

Part of the experience was getting immersed in political issues in Washington, meeting with U.S. Sen. Carl Levin and U.S. Rep. Hansen Clarke. Chaves also performed a mock congress workshop where the students were divided into teams and each team selected people to debate an issue. Chaves was chosen by her teammates and debated on environmental regulations.

“It was good to see the arguments from both sides of the issue and how you can make convincing arguments for something that you didn't necessarily believe or understand before," she said. "But what I also came away with is that when people see how passionate you are about something they’re also inspired."

Serve, Inspire, and Change

Chaves said the desire to excel and improve the community around her was something instilled by her father and carried on by her mother, Olga Chaves.

"He was always one of those people that wouldn't accept anything but the best, and to have that as a role model in life is important," Chaves said of her father, who had cancer.

She first applied for the program after being recommended for her volunteer work with Friendship Circle, where she focused her outreach on literacy programs and children with disabilities. Her application also shined with consistent leadership roles, whether it was secretary of the National Honors Society, the French Honor Society or the the Model U.N. EuroChallenge team.

“Bank of America’s student leaders have a passion for community service, and Ana is no exception,” said Tiffany Douglas, market manager, Bank of America. “They not only identify community needs – they actively engage to address them in a manner that is up close and personal. Our student leaders are committed, engaged and excited about their role in making our communities work better for Metro Detroiters and a global society.“

Chaves was among five Metro Detroit students to work as interns with Focus: HOPE is not the first student from the Bloomfield Hills Schools to attain the internship. Last year, Lahser High School, route: {:controller=>"listings", :action=>"show", :id=>"bloomfield-hills-lahser-high-school"} --> senior