Former Westlake High School student Desi Warren II learned a few important lessons the summer after he graduated: All knowledge doesn’t come from books or classrooms, and personal connections can strengthen a career.
Thanks to the paid summer internship he was awarded through Bank of America, he’s reaping some benefits from that experience. A sophomore at George Washington University, he now works in the office of U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D- S.C., and is active in political, charitable and social events on campus and in the Washington, D.C. area.
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The banking and finance company has been giving high school juniors and seniors a chance to learn more about their community by working for eight weeks with a local nonprofit. Then they spend a week at a leadership seminar in Washington, D.C. Although the program began in 2004 in a few cities, it has branched out to 30 communities in the country. In 2019, nearly 300 young people took part from nearly 100 communities. They’ve worked at local nonprofits such as Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Habitat for Humanity.
Five students from the Atlanta area are chosen annually for the Bank of America Student Leaders program, gaining paid internships at the East Lake Foundation.
“An upperclassman who had a Bank of America internship the year before told me about it,” said Warren. “He said it was one of the greatest experiences of his life and told me to apply.”
Applications for the 2020 program will be accepted through Jan. 31.
Last year’s interns at the East Lake Foundation assisted senior citizens in computer classes and served as counselors for the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) summer camp at Drew Charter School. They also completed a service-learning project at the American Red Cross alongside hundreds of peers from across the nation during the Student Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C.
“The Student Leader program was a phenomenal experience that has helped me build a foundation to excel in college and in life,” said Warren. “I would recommend others to apply, as it gave me confidence in my communication skills and a foundation on how to work with a team.”
Bank of American Student Leaders program
Information: 1-800-218-9946 or bankofamerica.com
