Five London students awarded a place at Washington D.C. Leadership Summit and eight-week internship as part of Bank of America Student Leaders program
LONDON – Five young people from London have been selected as 2010 Bank of America Student Leaders in recognition of their leadership skills and passion for improving their local communities. This unique programme offers London-based sixth form and college students the opportunity to spend the summer learning key social and business leadership skills, to further inspire them in serving their communities and effecting positive changes in their local areas.
As part of the award, this month the selected students will be travelling to Washington D.C. for the Bank of America Charitable Foundation’s week-long Student Leadership summit. In addition to attending the summit, the Student Leaders will participate in eight-week non-profit internships, paid for by Bank of America, at organisations in their local communities. Students gain hands-on experience and learn the finer points of nonprofits management and leadership while the non-profit organisations benefit from the additional resources and support.
This year’s London Student Leaders are:
Merlain Makiadi, Southfields Community College
Sami Ali, Drayton Manor High School
Verdzhiniya Ivanova, New Vic Sixth Form College
Rebecca Duncan, Newsted Wood School for Girls
Olorunfemi Bolarinwa Situ-Amoo, Pimlico Academy
“At Bank of America, we strongly believe that an investment in future leaders plays a pivotal role in revitalising our communities,” said Jonathan Moulds, President of EMEA, Bank of America Merrill Lynch. “By providing opportunities for our youth to be leaders in their communities today is important not only to our long-term success in London but also as a nation and world. Through our Neighbourhood Excellence Initiative and our larger corporate social responsibility efforts, we’re helping to create a culture of global service – one that benefits individuals, families, non-profit organisations and the neighbourhoods they serve.”
At the week-long leadership summit, students will learn how service benefits communities economically; how corporate, non-profit and government collaboration is instrumental in community revitalisation;and the important role that non-profit organisations play as community anchors, particularly during times of economic difficulty.
Through a series of interactive workshops and hands-on activities, the summit will include educational seminars and the participation of several special guests. Highlights include:
Meetings on Capitol Hill to discuss important issues that impact young people such as lack of financial education in secondary schools and affordable opportunities for a post secondary education.
Leadership sessions that introduce business etiquette, identify personal strengths, develop future goals and identify opportunities for giving back to the community wherever they land.
The Student Leaders programme is one component of Bank of America’s signature philanthropic programme, the Neighbourhood Excellence Initiative(r). Since the programme’s inception in 2004, it has recognised and awarded more than 1,200 Student Leaders in the US and the UK, many of whom have gone on to leadership positions at colleges and universities while continuing to lead civic engagement efforts.
About the Neighbourhood Excellence Initiative
The Bank of America Charitable Foundation’s Neighbourhood Excellence Initiative annually recognises organisations, individuals and students who have shown a commitment to improving their communities. Since the programme’s inception in 2004, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation has committed more than $110 million globally to the NEI programme and will invest over $20 million in 2010 alone.
This fall, as part of the Neighbourhood Excellence Initiative, Bank of America will also announce Neighbourhood Builders, two local nonprofits in each of the 45 participating markets that will be awarded $200,000 each in unrestricted funding for their commitment to improving and revitalizing their communities, and Local Heroes, five individuals in each market with proven dedication to improving their communities through community service who will be able to direct a $5,000 contribution from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation to an eligible non-profit of their choice.
Bandana Spettigue is from Bank of America/Merrill Lynch.