Overland Park resident selected as 2017 Bank of America Student Leader

Blue Valley West High School senior Vasavi (Mimi) Garimella was one of five Kansas City-area teens selected to be part of the 2017 Bank of America Student Leaders program this summer. The program awarded the students a paid, eight-week summer internship at a local nonprofit and a trip to Washington, D.C. to participate in the Bank of America Student Leadership Summit.

From a young age, Mimi has been passionate about giving back to those less fortunate than herself. When Mimi traveled with her family to India at the age of five, she and her sister were astonished at the level of poverty and decided to organize a clothing drive for a local homeless shelter. Upon returning home, Mimi created V2Inspire, a clothing foundation located in India, to support local homeless shelters. V2Inspire also partners with other organizations to provide shelters with medicine and food. Helping run a philanthropic organization at such a young age instilled the belief in Mimi that anything is possible. Mimi is also passionate about childhood obesity and works to spread awareness of the issue throughout her community.

As part of the Bank of America Student Leaders program, Mimi received a paid, eight-week internship at the Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC). The internship provided her with valuable work experience while also supporting the nonprofit with extra help this summer.

To learn more about the Bank of America Student Leaders program, visit: https://about.bankofamerica.com/en-us/what-guides-us/student-leaders.html#fbid=oXOJmc8tuBx. If you or someone you know have a passion for improving the community, click here to view the Student Leaders eligibility criteria. The 2018 application period will begin on Oct. 27, 2017.

To learn more about the Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC), visit: http://www.yvckc.org/.