Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Morgan Park Graduate Chosen to Visit D.C. for Leadership Summit This Summer

 Shaquira Williams, 18, teaches Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago members how to dance. She is interning with the nonprofit thanks to the Bank of America Student Leadership program. She is one of five Chicago teens selected this year.
Shaquira Williams, 18, teaches Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago members how to dance. She is interning with the nonprofit thanks to the Bank of America Student Leadership program. She is one of five Chicago teens selected this year.
View Full Caption
Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago

AUBURN GRESHAM — Shaquira Williams is one of five Chicago teens participating in the Bank of America Student Leaders program this summer.

The program has been around since 2004, and Williams said she was looking forward to traveling to Washington, D.C., on Sunday for the annual summit.

She will join more than 200 youths at the country’s capital, where they will spend a week learning about how the government, and both private and public sectors work to address issues in their communities, said Julie Chavez, Chicago Corporate Social Responsibility Market Manager for Bank of America.

More than 300 teens applied this year, but only five were selected, she said.

“It is an opportunity for them to come together with their peers, other like-minded students, who also are engaged in community service in their communities and who also have their own thoughts and visions about leadership," Chavez said. "They’ll participate in skill-building workshops and we have a volunteer project they’ll all engage in.”

 Shaquira Williams, 18, is interning with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago thanks to the Bank of America Student Leadership program. She is one of five Chicago teens selected this year.
Shaquira Williams, 18, is interning with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago thanks to the Bank of America Student Leadership program. She is one of five Chicago teens selected this year.
View Full Caption
Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago

“I’m very excited,” said Williams, an 18-year-old Morgan Park High School graduate who will be attending Howard University in the fall.

“When I went to D.C. before it was never for actual business trips. It was to visit my school and to just hang out, but now I get to go and voice my opinion.”

The trip is only a small component of the program, Chavez said. Participants have been paired up with a local nonprofit, where they will work for eight weeks. Williams’ paid internship is with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago at the James R. Jordan Club, 2102 W. Monroe St.

Williams said she had always been interested in working with children.

“I hope to learn from the kids, as well as better my communication skills and my people skills so that I can start making connections throughout life,” Williams said.

Her ultimate goal is to start her own after-school center. What prompted this idea, she said, were personal experiences in her own community. She said she sees a need for more safe places for teens and children because of the violence.

“I see a lot of it in my community as well as communities when I travel throughout the city,” Williams said.

She also wanted to start a homeless shelter.

Her supervisor, Wanda Noyes, the program director for the Boys & Girls Club's Jordan location, said it was a joy working with Williams. She praised her for her work ethic and how she interacted with the club’s members.

“She has been my hidden weapon, so I am excited, and she gets along well with my youth,” Noyes said. “She communicates well. They respect her. They understand she’s an authoritative figure, so it has been a really good experience so far.”

Noyes said that Williams couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. The college-bound youth does ballet, tap and hip-hop, which Noyes said that she wanted some of her students to learn. The club was preparing for an end of the summer talent show, and Noyes said she could use Williams’ expertise.

The application process for 2016 opens in November.

For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here: