On June 1, 2 and 3, three area student participated in the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Conference (HOBY) of central New York held at SUNY Oswego. This program brings together high school sophomores for a weekend of activities and discussions that concentrate on volunteerism and leadership skills.
This year, our area was represented by sophomores from Auburn, Skaneateles and Cato-Meridian high schools. Participants included: Katie Hoff, of Auburn High School; Maggie Harrigan, of Cato Meridian High School, and Rachel Scarr, of Skaneateles High School.
The program includes several seminars where students can seek information on their own by asking questions of community leaders, politicians and business professionals.
These panels are composed of five to six featured panelist and divided into three parts. The seminar begins with short introductions by each panelist, then the students break into groups and form questions to ask during an open forum. The seminar closes with each panelist meeting one-on-one with each group so students may ask follow-up questions.
“The entire weekend is intended for students to become free thinkers,” said Frank Sylvester, HOBY's corporate board president for New York. “(During the question portion), students are taken out of their comfort zone and put in front of an audience to ask questions. This puts them in front of a crowd and helps to build leadership skills.”
Stephen Mack, a member of the HOBY 2007 staff, first became involved in HOBY after his son, Chris, was chosen to represent Auburn High School as a HOBY ambassador in 2004.
“I can honestly say the experience changed his life,” Stephen said.
Chris volunteered again the following year and remains an active participant in HOBY still.
Started 49 years ago, HOBY was the brainchild of actor Hugh O'Brian. Older generations will remember O'Brian from the TV show “Wyatt Earp.” More than 50 years ago, he traveled to Africa and met with Dr. Albert Schweitzer. Schweitzer convinced him to look to the youth of America to guide the future. O'Brain chose high school sophomores, feeling that group had the most time and most potential to truly put their thoughts into action.
“When he returned from Africa, he gathered up a dozen or so 16-year-olds from his neighborhood and put them in front of his business manager, lawyer and doctor,” Sylvester said.
From that initial meeting, HOBY sprung. Now there have been 355,000 HOBY ambassadors since 1958.
Each September, HOBY mails its Sophomore Selection Packet to every public, private and charter high school to invite them to select and register students to attend a leadership seminar. Teachers may nominate deserving students, then each school's guidance counselor picks one to representative their school. To earn the final pick, students must either write an essay on leadership or be interviewed.
Also, Sylvester said, HOBY participants who choose to attend SUNY Oswego can apply for a $2,000 scholarship, which is specifically for HOBY ambassadors.
The next central New York conference is tentatively set for May 30 through June 1, 2008.
The program includes several seminars where students can seek information on their own by asking questions of community leaders, politicians and business professionals.
These panels are composed of five to six featured panelist and divided into three parts. The seminar begins with short introductions by each panelist, then the students break into groups and form questions to ask during an open forum. The seminar closes with each panelist meeting one-on-one with each group so students may ask follow-up questions.
“The entire weekend is intended for students to become free thinkers,” said Frank Sylvester, HOBY's corporate board president for New York. “(During the question portion), students are taken out of their comfort zone and put in front of an audience to ask questions. This puts them in front of a crowd and helps to build leadership skills.”
Stephen Mack, a member of the HOBY 2007 staff, first became involved in HOBY after his son, Chris, was chosen to represent Auburn High School as a HOBY ambassador in 2004.
“I can honestly say the experience changed his life,” Stephen said.
Chris volunteered again the following year and remains an active participant in HOBY still.
Started 49 years ago, HOBY was the brainchild of actor Hugh O'Brian. Older generations will remember O'Brian from the TV show “Wyatt Earp.” More than 50 years ago, he traveled to Africa and met with Dr. Albert Schweitzer. Schweitzer convinced him to look to the youth of America to guide the future. O'Brain chose high school sophomores, feeling that group had the most time and most potential to truly put their thoughts into action.
“When he returned from Africa, he gathered up a dozen or so 16-year-olds from his neighborhood and put them in front of his business manager, lawyer and doctor,” Sylvester said.
From that initial meeting, HOBY sprung. Now there have been 355,000 HOBY ambassadors since 1958.
Each September, HOBY mails its Sophomore Selection Packet to every public, private and charter high school to invite them to select and register students to attend a leadership seminar. Teachers may nominate deserving students, then each school's guidance counselor picks one to representative their school. To earn the final pick, students must either write an essay on leadership or be interviewed.
Also, Sylvester said, HOBY participants who choose to attend SUNY Oswego can apply for a $2,000 scholarship, which is specifically for HOBY ambassadors.
The next central New York conference is tentatively set for May 30 through June 1, 2008.
The Citizens' Say
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