WHS grad is attending leadership institute in D.C.

This summer, Patrick McCarthy, a recent Washougal High School graduate, will be joining more than 200 of his peers from across the nation to participate in Bank of America’s Student Leaders program.

McCarthy has participated in the Presidential and Governor’s Award Planning Committee, American Cancer Society “Relay for Life”, Red Cross Club and Share House.

As teens are searching for ways to spend their summers in a down economy, Bank of America is investing $1 million in paid, eight-week summer internships for students at community nonprofits in 44 neighborhoods across the country.

McCarthy is spending his summer in Portland, at the Evergreen Habitat for Humanity site. In addition to the paid internship, he is attending Bank of America’s weeklong Student Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. this week.

He and the other students there will learn how corporate, nonprofit and government collaboration impacts community revitalization.

The summit aims to inspire students, who are already answering the nation’s call to service, to continue serving their communities and help create positive change. “At Bank of America, we strongly believe that an investment in future leaders plays a pivotal role in revitalizing our communities,” said Roger Hinshaw, Oregon market president for Bank of America. “Providing opportunities for our youth to be leaders in their communities today is important not only to our long-term success in Portland but also as a nation and world. Through our Neighborhood Excellence Initiative and our larger corporate social responsibility efforts, we’re helping to create a culture of global service – one that benefits individuals, families, nonprofit organizations and the neighborhoods they serve.”

Through a series of interactive workshops and hands-on activities, the summit will include educational seminars and the participation of several special guests. Highlights include:

*Meetings on Capitol Hill to discuss important issues that impact young people such as lack of financial education in secondary schools and affordable opportunities for a post secondary education.

*A financial education policy discussion, including panelists Michelle Greene, deputy assistant secretary for financial education, Laura Levine, executive director for Jump$tart Coalition and Phil Martin, assistant for financial education, U.S. Dept of Education.

*Leadership sessions that introduce business etiquette, identify personal strengths, develop future goals and identify opportunities for giving back to the community.

*A large-scale, environmental service learning volunteer activity with the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation at Fort Dupont in the Anacostia neighborhood in Washington, D.C., to study the harmful environmental effects from everyday pollutants.

The Student Leaders program is one component of Bank of America’s signature philanthropic program, the Neighborhood Excellence Initiative.

Since the program’s inception in 2004, it has recognized and awarded more than 1,200 student leaders, many of whom have gone on to leadership positions at colleges and universities while continuing to lead civic engagement efforts.