Signature Bank of America Program awards five Long Island high school students with paid internships and leadership training
Bank of America today announced five Long Island high school seniors were selected as Student Leaders®, a unique eight-week summer program that awards community-minded students with paid internships at local nonprofits and participation in a national leadership summit. Working with EAC Network and Island Harvest, two longstanding Bank of America partners serving Long Islanders, these students are gaining workforce skills and first-hand experience in serving their communities. They will also participate in a virtual Leadership Summit with Student Leaders from across the country. As part of the program, they will earn $17 per hour and receive a Chromebook.
“Connecting students to career development opportunities is a priority for Bank of America here on Long Island and across the country,” said Marc Perez, president, Bank of America Long Island. “Our Student Leaders program is even more meaningful because the students work alongside two of our nonprofit partners, EAC Network and Island Harvest, learning from them and helping them support our Long Island community.”
The Class of 2022 Long Island Bank of America Student Leaders are:
Melody Luo of Commack, a recent graduate of Commack High School, interning with Island Harvest
Namit Kapoor of New Hyde Park, a senior at Herricks High School, interning with EAC Network
Pearce Bernstone of Manhasset, a senior at Manhasset Secondary School, interning with EAC Network
Anika Shah of Syosset, a senior at Syosset High School, interning with Island Harvest
Katherine Sun of Great Neck, a senior at Great Neck High School, interning with EAC Network
These five students were selected for their leadership, background, passion, and commitment to community.
Luo has served as president and vice president of the Formosa Association of Student Cultural Ambassadors, and is passionate about cultural exchange and the capacity for education to cultivate understanding. She will be attending the University of Pennsylvania in the fall.
Kapoor is the co-founder of Herricks Camp Connected, which provided summer activities for children whose families faced economic hardship following the onset of the coronavirus. He is deeply involved in local and national politics, and hopes to work on Capitol Hill.
Bernstone is a committed volunteer and Student Ambassador for Community Solidarity, a food pantry based in Hempstead. He is also the founder of no1-hungry, which hosts an annual fundraiser to benefit food pantries in Nassau County.
Shah is the president of the Young Women’s Forum, co-president of Women in STEM, and vice president of Student Council at Syosset High School. She is also the executive director of Social Media at Teens Teach Technology, a youth-led nonprofit that teaches digital skills to isolated nursing home patients.
Sun is the first female president of the Great Neck High School debate team and serves on the Girl Leadership Council for the Girl Scouts of Nassau County, with whom she helped organize a mental health awareness event for those impacted by the coronavirus.
Started in 2004, the Student Leaders program recognizes 300 community-focused juniors and seniors from across the U.S. annually. The Bank of America Student Leaders Leadership Summit delivered in partnership with the Close Up Foundation, includes opportunities to engage with congressional leaders, hear from leaders in civil and human rights, and participate in the Stanford University Young Democracy at Home program which encourages conversation about current issues facing young people today.
Without access to career skills-building opportunities like the Student Leaders program, many people on Long Island may be left behind in a fast-changing job market, leading to higher rates of youth unemployment. Along with the Student Leaders program, Bank of America has connected more than 240 teens and young adults to paid jobs and internships over the past ten years with United Way of Long Island’s Summer Youth Employment Program as part of its commitment to workforce development as a pathway to economic mobility.
About 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
