Bank of America has once again recognized some of Orange County’s most promising high school students through its annual Student Leaders program, which recognizes students who have gone above and beyond to serve their communities.
Each year, about 300 students nationwide are selected to participate in an eight-week summer internship, where they are paired with local nonprofits to gain hands-on experience. This year, Lana Lee, Vivi Ta, Mahi Kumar and Kate Luengo were chosen to represent Orange County and spent their summer working with CEO Leadership Alliance of Orange County and Second Harvest Food Bank Orange County.
The program is designed to give students a deeper understanding of community needs while strengthening their leadership and professional abilities.
“Bank of America has served Orange County for 100 years, ranging from business lending and community investments to supporting workforce development opportunities like the paid summer internships that our Student Leaders program provides to teens,” said Allen Staff, president, Bank of America Orange County. “These local high school students are truly exceptional both academically and with their extracurricular focus — they have bright futures ahead!”
After their internships, these students connected with the roughly 300 other Bank of America Student Leaders from around the country in Washington, D.C. for a national leadership summit. Dedicated to promoting collaboration and community advocacy, the summit also allowed student leaders to meet with members of Congress.
Here’s a closer look at three of Orange County’s newest student leaders and their contributions to the community.
Lana Lee, Santa Ana
Lee attends the Orange County School of the Arts, where she studies in the Integrated Arts and Creative Writing conservatories. An advocate for creativity and community, she co-founded Find Your Light OC, a nonprofit that hosts free musical theater camps for underserved youth, and founded Calls4Care, a program that builds relationships between students and seniors. On campus, she serves as vice president of National Honor Society, performs with the school’s hip-hop dance crew ManIA and helped launch the OCSA Mental Health Alliance. Beyond school, Lee has held leadership roles as a supreme court justice at California Girls State and as a fellow and intern with the Dragon Kim Foundation. She is also a nationally recognized YoungArts Winner in Spoken Word. Guided by her belief that the arts can inspire confidence and provide a platform for underrepresented voices, Lee hopes to continue using creativity to drive change.
Mahi Kumar, Brea Olinda
Kumar recently graduated from Brea Olinda High School and is now a freshman at Fullerton College, where she leads the Inter-Club Council in supporting a wide range of student organizations. She is the founder of Legacies Graphics, a marketing and design startup that helps small businesses strengthen their brands, and created Lady IT, an initiative that encourages young women to pursue technology and leadership opportunities. A first-generation immigrant, Kumar draws inspiration from her family’s small business, a pizza restaurant in La Habra, where she first developed her passion for entrepreneurship. She plans to study business and hopes to continue blending innovation, leadership and community service throughout her career.
Vivi Ta, Newport Beach
Ta attends Sage Hill School, where she serves as captain of the varsity swim team and president of the Girls Empowerment Movement, an organization that uplifts middle school girls through its annual convention. She volunteers with International Humanitarian Missions, assisting doctors at medical clinics in Cambodia, and supports children with autism through tennis and craft activities with Best Buddies and Friendship Circle. Outside of school, Ta works as a shift lead at Handel’s Ice Cream. Inspired by her interest in both business and healthcare, she hopes to study ways to make medical services more accessible and equitable.
Applications for the 2026 program will open this fall.