Bank of America Prepares Providence Teens for Workforce Success through Paid Summer Internships

Pictured above, from left to right, are Patience Adegboyega, Heather McClure, Bintu Fofana, Jaislene Vinas and Fatou Dieng.

Providence — Bank of America today announced that five high school juniors and seniors from the Providence community have been selected as Student Leaders. 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 Boys and Girls Club, and participation in a Student Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C.

Early employment opportunities are a critical stepping stone for youth entering the working world. 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 in today’s competitive workforce. With local youth unemployment rates at 12.4 percent, Student Leaders connects young people to summer employment that supports their long-term financial success, and in turn helps the economic progress of Providence.

“Early employment opportunities help teens build the skills they need to establish a career and get on a path toward financial stability,” said Bill Hatfield, Rhode Island president. “We are proud to support programs that give these young men and women valuable job experiences while also assisting an important local institution like the Boys and Girls Club. This is an important part of our work to address the underlying issues related to economic mobility as we work to create a thriving Rhode Island economy.”

The five Providence Student Leaders, all interning at the Boys and Girls Club of Providence or Pawtucket, are:

· Heather McClure, a North Smithfield resident and a graduate of North Smithfield High School.

· Bintu Fofana, a Providence resident and a senior at Saint Raphael Academy.

· Patience Taiwo Adegboyega, a Pawtucket resident and a graduate at Charles E. Shea Senior High School.

· Jaislene Vinas, a Providence resident and a senior at Central High School.

· Fatou Dieng, a Woonsocket resident and a senior at Woonsocket Senior High School.

These five young people will join the more than 200 other Student Leaders from around the country in Washington D.C. on July 10-15 for a Student Leadership Summit. As part of this week-long convening, students will discuss how to build a more diverse and inclusive society, gain a better understanding of how cross-sector collaboration creates community impact, and become part of a network of community leaders that will support their citizenship and engagement. The students are joining a network of student alumni from Providence and an alumni cohort of more than 2,200 Student Leaders across the country.

Bank of America

At Bank of America, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is critical to fulfilling our core purpose of making people’s financial lives better. A commitment to growing our business responsibly is embedded in every aspect of our company, from our policies and practices to our services, products, governance and employee benefits. An important part of that commitment is forming strong partnerships across sectors, including nonprofit organizations serving community needs, bringing our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. We’re proud of our employees’ volunteer efforts, support of diversity and inclusion, and environmental and social responsibility. Across our company, we’re focused on simplifying banking and investing, advancing better money habits and making an impact in communities around the world. Learn more at www.bankofamerica.com/about and follow us on Twitter at @BofA_News.