Bank of America Advances Economic Mobility through Summer Youth Employment

DETROIT— Bank of America today announced that five high school juniors and seniors from the metro Detroit community have been selected as Student Leaders (#BofAStudentLeaders). Part of the company’s three-year $40 million commitment to connect youth and young adults to skills, training and jobs, the program offers young people, who are engaged community citizens, an opportunity to build their workforce and leadership skills through a paid summer internship at a local nonprofit and participate in a national leadership summit in Washington, D.C.

Today, there are more than five million young people who are not working or in school, and by 2020, more than 60% of jobs will require more than a high school diploma due to ongoing rapid changes in technology and innovation. When young people can’t access early employment opportunities that build their skills, they are at risk of being left behind and not finding a meaningful job that puts them on a path to success. Through Student Leaders, Bank of America enables young people to develop workforce and leadership skills, including advancing diversity and inclusion, developing a greater understanding of the value of cross-sector partnerships, and establishing a professional network that can lead to future career success and in turn, help the economic progress of southeastern Michigan.

The bank’s investments in youth employment in metro Detroit are part of its broader work this summer across the country, investing more than $3 million to connect nearly 2,000 young people, including at-risk teens, to summer jobs through partnerships with mayors across the country and its Student Leaders® program.

“Through Student Leaders, we’re building youth pathways to success and giving voice to the next generation, who will help develop a more diverse and inclusive society,” said Matt Elliott, Michigan Market President, Bank of America. “By engaging young people in meaningful and relevant experiences such as building a resume and managing a paycheck, we’re advancing economic mobility in metro Detroit as we work to create a thriving community.”

The Students Leaders of metro Detroit are placed with Focus: Hope, a Detroit nonprofit organization that provides community betterment programs, for a eight-week paid internship that will include activities in the organization’s food, early child education and community building programs.

“For the past 10 years, Focus: HOPE has been the host site for Bank of America’s signature internship program,” said Jason D. Lee, CEO, Focus: HOPE. “We are honored to host the leaders of tomorrow on our campus and teach them the ins and outs of Non-Profit management, leadership skills and civic engagement.”

2017 Student Leaders from metro Detroit 2017 are:

• Hana Barre a Troy resident, and rising senior at Troy High School.
• Amyre Brandom an Oak Park resident, and recent graduate of Cass Tech High School, Detroit.
• Quinn Favret, a Troy resident, and rising senior at Troy High School.
• Rachel Stieber a Sterling Heights resident, and rising senior at Utica Academy of International Studies.
• Mecca Vance a Detroit resident, and recent graduate of Cass Tech High School, Detroit.

These five young people will join the more than 200 other Student Leaders from around the country in Washington D.C. from July 9-14 for Bank of America’s Student Leadership Summit. As part of this week-long convening, students will build advocacy and inclusive leadership skills, meet with Members of Congress and participate in a service learning project. They will become part of a network of community leaders that will support their ongoing citizenship and engagement.

The students are joining a network of more than 49 student alumni from the Detroit area and an alumni cohort of more than 2,400 Student Leaders across the country.

Student Leaders is just one way Bank of America is supporting summer employment opportunities for Detroit teens. The bank is also partnering with Mayor Mike Duggan to fund paid summer internships for local teens through the Grow Detroit’s Youth Talent.

This program connects approximately 8,000 at-risk teens in Detroit with paid summer employment. Mentoring, job shadowing, teaching better money habits and other volunteer opportunities give teens valuable perspective and vision about what it means to be employed, how to manage a paycheck and the kinds of job opportunities that exist today.

Bank of America has also partnered with Khan Academy to provide information and tools to help young adults just starting out in the workforce gain knowledge about careers and personal finance through Better Money Habits®, its financial wellness and education platform.

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 at @BofA_News.

Focus: HOPE

Focus: HOPE is a nationally recognized civil and human rights organization founded in 1968, after the Detroit riots, by Father William T. Cunningham and Eleanor M. Josaitis. Together, they adopted the following mission: “Recognizing the dignity and beauty of every person, we pledge intelligent and practical action to overcome racism, poverty, and injustice. And to build a metropolitan community where all people may live in freedom, harmony, trust and affection.” -- adopted on March 8, 1968. Since 1968, Focus: HOPE has dramatically transformed thousands of lives through its three key areas of focus: food, careers and community. For more information, visit focushope.edu.