Bank of America Advances Economic Mobility through Summer Youth Employment

Providence — Bank of America today announced that four high school juniors and seniors from the Providence 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 participation in a national leadership summit in Washington, D.C.

Today, there are more than 5 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 Providence.

“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 Bill Hatfield, Rhode Island 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 Providence as we work to create a thriving community.”

The five Providence Student Leaders are:

• Edy Pablo Daniel Pineda Solorzano, rising senior at Blackstone Valley Prep, interning at the Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket
• Katherine Rivers White, rising senior at Lincoln School, interning at the Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket
• Anthony Jose Santos, rising senior at Classical High School, interning at the Boys & Girls Club of Providence
• Aodhan Robert Meyer, rising senior at South Kingstown High School, interning at the Boys Clubs & Girls Clubs of Newport County
• Alisha Toribio, a rising senior at Times Squared STEM Academy, is interning at the Boys & Girls Club of Providence

These four 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. Since 2004, nearly 3,000 Student Leaders across the country have gained skills and workforce experience through the program.

The bank’s investments in youth employment in Providence 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.

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.