Paid summer internships connect teens to leadership training & work experience
PORTLAND – Bank of America recently announced two Maine high school seniors who were selected as Student Leaders® (#BofAStudentLeaders), an eight-week paid summer internship connecting students to employment, skills development and service. These community-minded students will gain practical work and leadership experience, and receive financial education coaching from Bank of America’s Better Money Habits curriculum, while working with local nonprofits, all while earning competitive wages.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary year, the Student Leaders program recognizes 300 community-focused juniors and seniors from across the U.S. annually. Since 2004, Student Leaders has engaged more than 4,500 students and invested $42 million in more than 500 local nonprofits as a critical part of the bank’s long-standing effort to build pathways to economic mobility across nearly 100 markets.
“Preparing a diverse pipeline of community-minded young students to be successful in the workforce is critical to Maine’s long-term economic growth,” said Brian King, president, Bank of America Maine. “The exceptional teens selected for the Student Leaders program will not only gain practical work and life experience, but the community in return gains better resourced local nonprofits and a pipeline of talent.”
The class of 2024 Maine Bank of America Student Leaders are:
• Jael Mowa of Deering High School is interning at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine. She serves as the state policy director for the American Youth Association, is a board member of Youth-Led Justice, and a statewide conference facilitator for the Maine Youth Action Network. At Deering High School, Jael is actively involved in Model UN, is the co-vice president of the National Honor Society, a cabinet member of the Black Student Union, co-leader of the Seeds of Peace Club, and a varsity indoor/outdoor track athlete. She has also recently earned the Seal of Biliteracy in Lingala and works as a youth interpreter. Jael is passionate about advocating for civil rights and social action.
• Isabella Figdor of Deering High School is interning at United Way of Southern Maine. At Deering High School, Isabella is the co-captain of the debate team, founder and co-president of Youth in Government, secretary of the Interact Club, and is involved in National Honor Society, Student Government, Jewish Student Alliance, Model UN, varsity lacrosse, and varsity swimming. She is dedicated to promoting youth engagement in government and civic activities.
The students recently traveled to Washington, D.C. for a week-long, all expenses paid, national leadership summit and learned how nonprofits, governments and businesses collaborate to meet local needs.
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 69 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,800 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 58 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 4 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 is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BAC).
