Source: OCC OCC staff and Washington, D.C., bankers from PNC Bank and Bank of America recently taught financial education at NAF-affiliated Wilson High School in Washington, D.C. The Academy of Finance students at Wilson helped coordinate the training. Pictured right to left: Monica Cardoza, Bank of America Banking Center Manager, State Department; Olive Akhigbe, Vice President, Community Relations Manager, DC-MD-VA, Bank of America; Mike Pruh, Vice President, Market Manager, PNC Bank; Kathryn Clay, Vice President, Community Consultant, PNC Bank; Kendra Evans, Sales Support Associate, Bank of America; Kristoper Rengert, Community Development Expert, OCC.

National Academy Foundation Offers Opportunities for Banker Involvement

Founded in 1982, The National Academy Foundation (NAF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preparing youth for challenging careers in the fields of finance, travel and tourism, and information. A national network of business and governmental partners supports the foundation, which, in turn, sustains almost 500 local career academies. These local academies support their students in their personal and professional development through high school and college as well as throughout their careers.

The OCC has been a federal partner with the National Academy Foundation and its Academy of Finance since 1997. OCC employees have served on local and national NAF advisory boards and provided Academy of Finance internship opportunities for dozens of NAF students at OCC offices across the country.

Each academy has a local advisory board comprised of volunteers, business leaders, and community members. Nationally, more than 2,000 businesses and corporations support NAF. The academy programs, operating in 41 states and the District of Columbia, include a focused course of study, paid internships, and opportunities for job shadowing, mentoring, and field trips. NAF reports that nearly 100 percent of its academy students graduate from high school, and more than four out of five students go on to college.

Banks have been major contributors to the Academy of Finance nationwide, with more than 100 banks participating on advisory boards and going to the classrooms of NAF students to discuss a variety of topics related to banking, financial literacy, and personal finance. In addition, many banks provide job-shadowing opportunities, arrange student field trips and outings, and arrange work-based experiences for students serving as interns.