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Bank of America and National Park Foundation Convene 200+ Student Leaders for Service Learning Project to Preserve Rock Creek Park

Posted on: Thursday, 23 July 2009, 11:08 CDT

WASHINGTON, July 23 /PRNewswire/ --

WHAT: Answering the national call to service, 230 Bank of America Student Leaders(R) from 45 markets across the country and London are rolling up their sleeves today to participate in a large- scale service project with the National Park Foundation to revitalize and preserve Washington D.C.'s beautiful and historic Rock Creek Park - one of the oldest national parks in the National Park Service.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090723/NY50995-a )

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090723/NY50995-b )

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090723/NY50995-c )

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090723/NY50995-d )

At the park, these civic-minded high school students will participate in learning exercises as well as hands-on activities that include trail restoration and the removal of invasive, exotic species of plants that currently threaten the park's natural ecology. WHEN: Thursday, July 23, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Remarks begin at approximately 11:45 a.m. WHERE: Rock Creek Park, Carter Barron (16th and Joyce Street, Washington, D.C.) WHY: Bank of America Student Leaders are in D.C. this week attending the Bank of America Charitable Foundation's weeklong Student Leadership Summit, which aims to inspire students to serve their communities and effect change in the spirit of the Obama administration's recently announced United We Serve initiative and Serve America Act. The service project at Rock Creek Park is one of many summit activities that focus on the importance of national service, partnership and leadership. Bank of America is partnering with the National Park Foundation and National Park Service to develop a service learning curriculum for high school students that focuses on the importance of our national parks as part of preserving our national heritage and the value of being good stewards of these public lands. This support includes a $1 million educational grant and corporate support of award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns' upcoming film, "The National Parks: America's Best Idea," a new six-part series about the history and heritage of America's 58 national parks that the students are previewing during the summit and that is scheduled to premiere publicly on PBS on Sept. 27.

About the Neighborhood Excellence Initiative

The Bank of America Charitable Foundation's Neighborhood Excellence Initiative annually recognizes organizations, individuals and students who have shown a commitment to improving their communities. Over five years, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation has committed more than $90 million globally to the NEI program and will invest over $20 million in 2009 alone.

This fall, as part of the Neighborhood Excellence Initiative, Bank of America will also announce Neighborhood Builders, two local nonprofits in each of the 45 participating markets that will be awarded $200,000 each in unrestricted funding for their commitment to improving and revitalizing their communities, and Local Heroes, five individuals in each market with proven dedication to improving their communities through community service who will be able to direct a $5,000 contribution from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation to an eligible nonprofit of their choice.

Bank of America Corporate Philanthropy

Building on a long-standing tradition of investing in the communities it serves, Bank of America this year embarked on a new, ten-year goal to donate $2 billion to nonprofit organizations engaged in improving the health and vitality of their neighborhoods. Funded by Bank of America, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation gave more than $200 million in 2008, making the bank the most generous financial institution in the world and the second largest donor of all U.S. corporations in cash contributions. Bank of America approaches investing through a national strategy called "neighborhood excellence" under which it works with local leaders to identify and meet the most pressing needs of individual communities. Through Team Bank of America, bank associate volunteers contributed more than 900,000 hours in 2008 to enhance the quality of life in their communities nationwide. For more information about Bank of America Corporate Philanthropy, please visit www.bankofamerica.com/foundation.

About the National Park Foundation

The National Park Foundation is an independent charitable organization chartered by Congress in 1967 to strengthen the connection between the American people and their national parks. As the official national non-profit partner of America's National Parks, the Foundation raises private funds, makes strategic grants, creates innovative partnerships and increases public awareness about the need and opportunity for park philanthropy. In its 2008 fiscal year, the National Park Foundation distributed grants and program support of $27.3M. www.nationalparks.org

Reporters May Contact: Nicole Nastacie, Bank of America, 1.704.995.5953 nicole.nastacie@bankofamerica.com Erin Farrell for the National Park Foundation, 1.212.575.4545 efarrell@lakpr.com

SOURCE Bank of America

Source: PR Newswire

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