Damani Hood, a rising senior at Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, has been recognized as a 2019 Bank of America Student Leader. This signature philanthropic program offers young people who are passionate about improving the community an opportunity to build their workforce and leadership skills through a paid summer nonprofit internship and participation in a national leadership summit in Washington, D.C.
Hood is one of just 283 high school students nationwide – and one of five in Chicago – to be named a 2019 Student Leader. Hood is an active participant in his South Chicago community, serving on the executive board for his school’s Student Council in addition to playing varsity lacrosse. He is a member of the National Honor Society, president of his school’s Bridge Club, and volunteer member of the MAPSCorps Alumni Council where he leverages his interest in actuarial science to collect data from local communities and improve the health of impoverished neighborhoods.
Hood averages roughly 10 hours per week of volunteer activities, supporting organizations such as the Holy Jerusalem Youth Group, Bank of America Chicago Marathon, and ChicaGO2School, a nonprofit working to eliminate school transportation barriers for Chicago public school students. He is an active community organizer and advocate; during the last mayoral election, Hood successfully coordinated a student-lead mayoral forum at his high school, attracting both media attention and community participation.
Hood will participate in a summer-long internship with Children’s Home & Aid. As a Student Leader, Damani looks forward to further building his leadership skills and learning from others who can help develop and foster his skills.
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