Grace Rudman hasn’t finished high school yet, but she’s already met with a senator and a congressman. They discussed how Kansas schools need to up their game concerning mental health and providing an equal education in suburban and urban schools.
This unique experience was organized by the Bank of America Student Leaders program, where Grace was one of five Kansas City participants this summer. The program is for incoming high school seniors, like Grace, and incoming college freshman who are involved in their community and want to help improve it.
The program provides students with a paid, eight-week internship at a local nonprofit, giving young people engaging opportunities, while supporting nonprofits with extra summer help.
Linda Lenza, SVP and market manager for Bank of America in Kansas City said the Student Leaders program was launched in 2004. Since then, more than 3,000 young people have gained workforce skills, refined their leadership potential and made connections with a peer network of engaged youth leaders.
According to Lenza, the program gives students the skills to budget, save and manage a paycheck while developing leadership skills.
The program interested Grace because she is passionate about social justice and improving her community.
“I knew I had room to improve, and I believed this program would help me grow into my leadership potential. It gave me hands-on experience with people who are suffering in our community and allowed me to see the different ways one can help and give back. It especially helped me see the inner-workings of a nonprofit organization and what it requires for one to be successful. Who knows — maybe I’ll start a nonprofit of my own,” she said.
In addition to interning at a nonprofit, the students participated in a Student Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C., where they heard from speakers, networked and took part in leadership workshops. Lenza said the summit brings together students from across the country to learn valuable civic, social and business leadership skills.
Lenza also noted the program is selective.
“In 2018, 230 students from 27 states participated in the Student Leaders program,” Lenza said.
“This is the 15th year of the Student Leaders program. Grace is one of 75 high school youth from the Kansas City area who have benefitted from Student Leaders summer internships and leadership training,” Lenza said.
Grace was able to answer many of the program’s application questions using her experiences in BBYO and the Jewish community. This year she is serving as n’siah (president) of BBYO’s Kansas City Council.
“They asked me who my role model is and why. I said Big Sonia. She’s a local Holocaust survivor. I saw her documentary a week before I applied. It really stuck out to me because after all she’s lived through, her message was to be overwhelmingly kind to everyone,” Grace said.
Lenza said the Bank of America Student Leaders selection team was impressed by how Grace wants to be an advocate for others. Grace’s mentor for the program, Amarilis Valdes-Dempsey, vice president of global information security at Bank of America, said she is very impressed with her.
“She always arrived at our sessions eager to learn and asked some really great questions. We have had some great discussions on preparing for the future and I am proud of the way that she is open to new opportunities and challenges,” Valdes-Dempsey said.
Local nonprofits participating in the Bank of American program include Habitat for Humanity, KC Parks and Recreation, community kitchens and thrift stores. Grace was paired with Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC), a local nonprofit summer service camp where kids ranging in age from 11 to 17 rotate between various local nonprofits volunteering.
Grace spent some of her internship working in the office planning events and coordinating with donors. She had to make cold calls, reaching out to businesses and refusing to take no for an answer.
“I was so nervous at first; I would stutter and trip over my words. Making those cold calls was really nerve-racking at first,” Grace said. Thankfully, she had some experience making similar calls for BBYO. Grace thinks her BBYO experience helped prepare her for this internship.
“I really like working with the kids,” she said, “it’s a really diverse group of kids.” The kids spending their summer at YVC come from all different walks of life. Some are there for court-ordered community service. Others are working toward national community service awards. Some are even there simply because they love volunteering.
Tiffany Bartley, program director at YVC of Greater Kansas City, said Grace was able to troubleshoot youth behavior challenges at service projects and “proved to not only be a tremendous leader but also an excellent mentor for the youth on the projects.”
The other part of Grace’s role at YVC this summer was similar to that of a camp counselor, she said, another skill set she said BBYO helped her develop.
BBYO, Grace said, is a place she believes she can be herself. She wants to help cultivate that warm environment for new and current members and “help others become the leaders they can be.”
A member of The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah, where she became a Bat Mitzvah and was confirmed, Grace is the daughter of Dr. David and Julie Rudman. She is also Blue Valley North’s Jewish Student Union president and volunteers at her synagogue’s religious school.
Grace has always wanted to be a doctor. She is currently involved in Blue Valley’s Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) program. The CAPS program helps students connect business, education and community with a special, experiential learning approach. CAPS helps students get a deeper look into their fields of interest.
Grace felt the Student Leaders program was an amazing opportunity that could help her get more involved in the community, while helping her network and develop more leadership skills. As she performed her intern duties this summer, she said she is “so passionate about social justice and politics that it’s kind of making me question what I want to go into.”
Grace could also see herself working as an advocate for social change one day. She might be interested in working for Jewish Family Services, fighting anti-Semitism, or being an advocate for civil and women’s rights.
Before she makes any final career decisions, Grace needs to finish high school and go off to college. She’s not sure which school yet, but it is clear to those around her that Grace’s future is bright.
“I have no doubt Grace will achieve at anything she sets her mind to. We were so privileged to have had her as a part of our team this summer,” YVCs Bartley said.