Bank of America recently announced two Savannah high school juniors 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 market’s long-term economic growth” said Patrick O’Neil, president, Bank of America Savannah. “The exceptional teens selected for the Student Leaders program will not only gain practical work and life experience, but the community in return gains help from local nonprofits and a diverse pipeline of talent as these young adults enter the local workforce.”

The class of 2024 Savannah Bank of America Student Leaders are:

• Faith Agbehonou – a rising senior at Woodville-Tompkins Technical and Career High School, Faith’s parents  are emigrants from Togo, West Africa. She is the founder and president of her school’s drama club, treasurer of the Beta Club and event coordinator for her school's HOSA - Future Health Professionals chapter, planning schoolwide and community service events. Additionally, Faith serves on the Student Senate, acting as a liaison between students and administrators. Faith hopes this leadership opportunity will allow her to gain valuable knowledge and connections within Savannah and with other student leaders.

• Keylan Collins – a rising senior at Savannah Early College High School who is passionate about networking and learning how non-profits operate. Keylan is active in school leadership activities and serves on the school council and as president of the National Beta Club. In the school council, he helps plan and coordinate events, fundraisers, and activities to enhance the school community, addressing issues raised by students and collaborating to find solutions. Keylan’s academic background at Savannah Early College and Savannah State University aligns with the program’s focus on leadership and civic engagement, and he is excited about the opportunity to collaborate with peers and contribute to a greater good.

The Savannah-based Student Leaders are participating in programming that includes a collaborative, mentor-focused project with Goodwill Southeast Georgia. Over the course of the summer, they will have the opportunity to collaborate with Goodwill leaders and participate in marketing, mission services activities and community engagement efforts.

Along with Student Leaders, Bank of America is connecting more than 100 teens and young adults to paid jobs and internships with YMCA of Coastal Georgia through its Summer Youth Employment Program.

Later this summer, the Student Leaders will travel to Washington, D.C. for a week-long, all expenses paid, national leadership summit to learn how nonprofits, governments and businesses collaborate to meet local needs.