Paid summer internship offers opportunity for NYC teens to become student leaders | In Class column – SILive.com

IN CLASS: This feature is part of an ongoing education column highlighting the various activities that engage school communities.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — New York City high school students can get a jump start on their work experience and become student leaders through a special summer paid internship.

The 2023 application period for Bank of America’s Student Leaders paid internship program closes on Friday, Jan. 13.

Selected students will participate in an eight-week paid internship at a local non-profit organization to learn firsthand about the needs of their community. They will also attend a leadership summit to learn how government, business and the non-profit sector work together to address critical community issues.

Last summer, five New York City-based student leaders worked with two longstanding Bank of America partners serving the community — DREAM and YMCA of Greater New York.

The program is part of the Bank’s investment in youth and young adults by helping them obtain work and leadership experience while making a difference.

To become a student leader, you must:

Currently be a junior or senior in high school.
Live in one of the eligible markets listed (New York City is eligible).
Be able to participate in an eight‐week paid internship at a local nonprofit/charitable organization and work 35 hours a week.
Be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship through the end of September 2023.
Be able to participate in a week‐long Student Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., from July 17-24. All expenses paid as part of Student Leaders. This week will be part of the eight‐ week experience.
Be a student in good standing at your school.
Please note: Bank of America employees or members of their immediate family (e.g., children, siblings, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, etc.) are not eligible to apply.

Students who have submitted a nomination will be notified of their application status in April 2023.

A CELEBRATION OF VARIOUS HOLIDAYS AT STATEN ISLAND ACADEMY

Staten Island Academy, Todt Hill, celebrated its first-ever Light Up the Campus, an event that celebrated six holidays and brought together the campus community. Students sang holiday songs during and after the lighting. (Courtesy/Teresa Pelosi)

In an effort to build spirit across its campus, Staten Island Academy in Todt Hill held a tree lighting and celebrated six different holidays last month.

The campus came together to light the 60-foot tree in the front circle of the campus. And as a diverse school that embraces everyone’s culture, the Upper School house system decorated its dining hall with six different holidays. The school not only decorated, but also shared the origins and meanings of each holiday with the rest of the school. Those holidays that were celebrated include Hanukkah, Christmas, Ramadan, Kwanzaa, Chinese New Year and Diwali.

Families of students and school staff worked together to decorate the campus.

And the school’s first-ever “Light Up the Campus” event was held on Dec. 8. Amid a backdrop of elaborate lights and twinkling trees contributed by families, the school celebrated the six holidays together.

Accompanied by members of the Lower School Chorus, under the direction of Jacqueline Stevens, families united around Haugen Hall singing “A Gospel of Peace,” enjoying hot chocolate — echoing the sentiment that the Staten Island Academy community hopes will inspire others to learn more about the diverse quilt of family traditions.

“I have the utmost faith in our children that they will lead the charge to bring a greater sense of peace to our world,” said acting Head of School Eileen F. Corigliano, who will officially become the head of school in July, as recently announced by Staten Island Academy’s board of trustees.

“As we all are standing here tonight, side by side we will hear our voices and our commitment to celebrating each other as it echoes through the hill for peace throughout the land,” she added.

After an exciting 3-2-1 countdown and the illumination of buildings, windows and trees, Mark Weissman, chair of the arts, led students from grades 5 and 6 in singing “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing.”