WHAT:
Mayor Dyer will join Bank of America Central Florida Market President & U.S. Trust Managing Director John Moskos to announce a $25,000 Bank of America Summer Youth Employment Initiative grant to the Parramore Kidz Zone (PKZ). The grant will be used to fund the PKZ Youth Employment Program that will give high school and college students from the Parramore community early exposure to work opportunities and experience, which helps to foster critical leadership skills.

Bank of America is responding to the need for youth employment through the Bank of America Summer Youth Employment Initiative, a workforce development program for at-risk young people. The Initiative offers Parramore youth as young as age 15 the opportunity to gain skills, training and to be placed in jobs in the community during the summer months while they are not in school.

Currently there are 31 Parramore youths employed in jobs in the community through PKZ’s Summer Youth Employment Program including Robertson Bassy, a sophomore at Morehouse College and a Parramore resident since he was in the first grade.

“The Parramore Kidz Zone has provided me with the opportunity to pursue so many of my dreams including being the first one in my family to attend college,” said Robertson Bassy. “PKZ’s Summer Youth Employment Program continues to do even more for me, allowing me to work in a job where I can serve as a role model for other kids in the Parramore community encouraging them to focus on education and reaching for their goals.”

WHO:
Orlando Mayor Dyer
John Moskos, Bank of America Market President & U.S. Trust Managing Director
Parramore youths in the PKZ Youth Employment Program

WHEN:
Thursday, August 9, 2012
10:30 a.m.

WHERE:
New Image Youth Center
212 South Parramore Avenue

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