Driven, focused, and friendly, Benson High School junior Bethany Brundage knew she wanted paid job experience when she joined YouthForce almost two years ago. Since then, she’s gained that, and so much more.
Bethany’s YouthForce Journey
“My journey with YouthForce has been incredible,” Bethany says. And she’s shown incredible dedication to the program, taking advantage of opportunities like monthly YouthForce University professional skill training workshops, meeting local celebrities, and connecting to the Bank of America internship she’ll be completing this summer. She was even honored for her work ethic and positive energy by staff at Providence Park — where she had a paid internship through the program — as the YouthForce Teen of the Year.
Bethany really treasures the great friendships she’s built with teens from across the Portland Metro. She also values the advice and guidance from Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland’s Teen Services staff in monthly YouthForce trainings. “At the Youth Force University, they talk about leadership skills, banking, resilience, professional skill and etc. They are honestly the best people to look for if you need help with high school, college, internships, scholarships, personal supports, and reaching out to anyone they think will help you get further in life.”
Her favorite part of the YouthForce experience? Meeting CJ McCollum for a night of bowling and a meal. She remembers feeling awed, saying, “I was afraid at first but was brave enough to have a good conversation with him in person. He is such an inspirational person who believes that no matter what your dream is you can always accomplish it if you believe and put your efforts towards your goal.”
“At the Youth Force University, they talk about leadership skills, banking, resilience, professional skill and etc. They are honestly the best people to look for if you need help with high school, college, internships, scholarships, personal supports, and reaching out to anyone they think will help you get further in life.”
Becoming a Bank of America Student Leader
Bethany first applied for the 2020 Bank of America Student Leaders program on a recommendation from YouthForce staff. She wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but her instincts said to go for it. A few months later, she was accepted, one of an exclusive group of 3,300 students who have participated since 2004.
And she had goals for this internship opportunity. “I had to do something to raise money to go out-of-state college,” she says. She hasn’t decided where she wants to attend just yet, but certainly “somewhere warm, diverse, and affordable,” where she can pursue a degree in criminal justice, specifically in profiling or forensic psychology.
Then COVID-19 swept across the country. Usually, Bank of America Student Leaders are placed at an internship at a Boys & Girls Club or Habitat for Humanity for the summer, and attend an in-person conference in Washington, D.C. The internship would now have to be solely online. Bethany considered her options: should she do the internship, or reapply next year in hopes of getting the in-person experience? After getting some feedback from friends and family, she decided to take the opportunity.
“If I did the online internship then I would be able to put it in my resume and applications for scholarships. This would be a good experience learning about leadership and talking to new people,” she explains. “I’m very glad I picked this option, and I couldn’t have done it without other people giving me their opinions about the situation. I am very grateful and happy about this decision.”
Bethany now looks forward to meeting new people across the country as a Bank of America Student Leader, and seeing how the online program has adapted the experience to shutdown, which has closed down so many other opportunities. She knows she’ll get valuable skills and experience she can take forward, and that will help her achieve her Great Future.
We look forward to seeing the incredible things Bethany does next as she pursues her dreams, and helping her achieve them!
About YouthForce
The KeyBank YouthForce program is a unique employment and career development opportunity for teens that provide job readiness training, employment opportunities; and overall career planning, empowering teens to develop the skills that will help them achieve their educational and career potential. Teens participating in the program are working with the Guest Services Department at Portland Timbers and Thorns games. Learn more >>
