Bank of America Empowers West Michigan Youth Through Summer Program

Bank of America selected two Grand Rapids-area high school students to join its 2024 Student Leaders®interns for an eight-week summer internship connecting students to employment, skills development and service nationwide. These community-minded students gained practical work and life experience while working with a local nonprofit, all while earning competitive wages.

This summer, Alejandro Fleites Marcelo and Karinna Martinez participated in programming that includes a collaborative, mentor-focused project with Holland nonprofit Latin Americans United for Progress (LAUP). LAUP, named as a Bank of America Grand Rapids’ 2023 Neighborhood Champion, empowers Latinos to participate in creating a better community for all through advocacy, celebration and education.

As part of their internship, the student leaders participated in LAUP Fiesta Week, kicking off the festivities on July 15 by joining panel discussions following screenings of the film "First Voice Generation," directed and produced by Cynthia Martinez. The film follows the stories of three Latinx high school students in Holland, Michigan, during an unprecedented global pandemic year, each struggling with their identity as children of Mexican immigrants growing up in a historically Dutch community.

The students also traveled 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.

“Alejandro and Karinna joined this year’s cohort of Bank of America Student Leaders, bringing dedication to community service and leadership in Grand Rapids and becoming part of a diverse pipeline of future leaders,” said Renee Tabben, president, Bank of America Grand Rapids. “Their participation in this program not only supported LAUP’s mission, but also equipped them with essential practical skills and workforce experience. Congratulations to both of these exceptional students.”

The 2024 Grand Rapids Bank of America Student Leaders are:

• Alejandro Fleites Marcelo, of Holland, is a graduate of Holland High School and a rising freshman at Grand Rapids Community College. He is a former captain of the high school soccer team, has participated in leadership training programs with National Youth Leadership Forum and National Student Leadership Council, and has volunteered more than 100 hours to help promote the progress and well-being of the local Latino community.
• Karinna Martinez, of Holland, is a junior at Holland High School. She’s been captain of the varsity swim team, and has volunteered with the Boys & Girls Club, Women of Color Gives and LAUP, where she helped lead the Aqui Jugamos program. Martinez is also the Junior Service Chair for the National Honors Society and has participated in leadership training programs with the Girls Leadership Academy for Services & Sport and the Youth Grantmakers Summer Leadership Conference.

“The Bank of America Student Leaders have significantly expanded our capacity as a nonprofit, providing invaluable support to our mission and the work we do with unique perspectives on the lives of young Latinos in our community, contributing to the transformative work and programs we develop and deliver daily,” said Johnny Rodriguez, president and CEO, LAUP. “Through their time with us, we exposed them to the operations of a nonprofit at all levels, investing in the development of young leaders and the future of our community. We are profoundly grateful for this opportunity and for Bank of America’s investment in our organization.”

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 nationally as a critical part of our effort to build pathways to economic mobility across nearly 100 markets. Twelve students have participated in the program since it launched in Grand Rapids in 2019.

Learn more at #BofAStudentLeaders.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 69 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,800 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 57 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BAC).