The Bank of America (BoA) Charitable Foundation has issued a call for applications for its national Student Leaders program, which honors and awards five civic-minded high school juniors or seniors in each of the 45 participating communities (including 6 in Florida) for their commitment to and demonstration of community service and leadership. Applications are due by January 12, 2011 and can be submitted online at www.bankofamerica.com/neistudentleaders. Each student is asked to include a letter of recommendation from a teacher, guidance counselor or principal with his or her application.
The 2011 Student Leaders will participate in paid eight-week summer internships at local nonprofit organizations and will travel to Washington, D.C. to attend the week-long Bank of America Student Leadership Summit. There, they will learn how service creates positive change in communities and how nonprofit, government and corporate collaboration is instrumental in community revitalization.
WHY: The Student Leaders program is part of the Bank of America Charitable Foundation’s larger Neighborhood Excellence Initiative®, its signature philanthropic program launched in 2004 that recognizes and rewards organizations, individuals and students for their service and leadership with the goal of helping to revitalize communities economically and socially. By the end of 2011, the initiative’s total commitment will exceed $150 million, and nearly 700 nonprofits organizations, 1,700 community leaders and 1,700 high school students will be awarded.
HOW: Award recipients are chosen by local selection committees comprised of private, public and nonprofit sector leaders and chaired by local Bank of America executives in the 45 participating communities.
The participating communities in Florida are:
Broward County
Jacksonville
Miami
Orlando
Palm Beach County
Tampa Bay area (Pinellas and Hillsborough counties)
