Cailey Li is a senior at Timber Creek High School and was selected to be a student leader of Bank of America. Li was chosen along with 300 other students across America; she was one of the three chosen from the DFW area. The Bank of America Student Leadership program connects students with community organizations and gives them an opportunity to show their leadership skills and expand their experience.

“I’m interested in combining public health and STEM entrepreneurship because it is a growing sector, especially during COVID and so I was really interested because Bank of America seemed to offer opportunities about internships and connections,” Cailey Li said.

Li had recently worked with HOPE Farm during her student leadership program. HOPE Farm is an organization that helps at risk young boys by providing opportunities like afterschool programs or summer camps for them. The organization also helps single mothers that are in financial need. Li had worked with the organization and had compiled a resource guide where moms can access information and ask questions.

“I’m hoping with these opportunities I’ll gain more connections, be able to really reach out,” Li said.

During the summer, Li attended a virtual summit where students leaders had the opportunity to talk with each other and with congressmen. Bank of America would give them a topic to discuss and students leaders would discuss amongst themselves. Li said that hearing different viewpoints from other student leaders was very interesting and effected her own viewpoint. The student leaders also had the opportunity to choose a topic to discuss with congressmen. Li had chose public health issues and questioned them over telehealth and elderly healthcare. Li had also spoken with Representatives Kelsey Mason, a researcher on the HELP committee for Senator Burr and Kimi Chernoby, a policy advisor on the HELP committee for Senator Murray.

“Hopefully as I start as young as I do, I’ll be able to build more networking opportunities and connections and be able to make a difference in my community,” Li said.