HOBY Maryland has graduated outstanding leaders since 1978, and annually serves close to 200 high school sophomores throughout Maryland at its three or four day seminar held each spring. In addition, HOBY Maryland serves more students throughout the year at its Community Leadership Workshops (CLeWs) held at various regional locations. Our alumni association is quickly growing into a recognizable force in the continuing development of its seminar graduates through organized community service activities.

Our mission is to provide lifelong leadership development opportunities that empower individuals to achieve their highest potential. Through our programs, Hugh O'Brian Youth Maryland supports the vision of the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership:

HOBY implements its purpose through its seven core values:

• Volunteerism - Volunteerism is the heart and soul of our organization. We appreciate the myriad contributions of our volunteers, and recognize the power of thank you. We seek to promote and encourage volunteerism among our stakeholders. We recognize and value the power of good that volunteers can achieve working together.

• Excellence - Excellence defines who we are and how we conduct our programs, and run our business. We proactively examine our performance and strive to improve in a never ending quest to continually raise our programs and business to new levels of excellence. We pursue excellence with a passion in all we do.

• Organizational Integrity – Organizational integrity forms the foundation of our organization. We demand the highest level of ethics and grow our organization based on interactions that promote mutual trust and respect with our stakeholders. We strive to ensure the highest level of organizational effectiveness by continually reviewing our programs and processes to improve quality and efficiency.

• Diversity – We value and embrace diversity. We seek out views that reflect all walks of life, and reflect those views in our programs. We are sensitive to the special needs and diverse backgrounds of individuals. We give all individuals an opportunity to be heard and to benefit from our programs.

• Innovative Thinking – Our organization grows through innovative thinking. We are not constrained by fixed ideas. We learn from the past, but are not limited by it. We proactively approach challenges and opportunities with innovative thinking to develop creative solutions. We value innovative thinking that has the potential to expand our programs and better serve our stakeholders.

• Community Partnership – We value community partnerships. We recognize the importance of working with our community organizations to reflect the diverse backgrounds of the individuals we seek to serve. We value the input we receive from our community partners, and strive to work together cooperatively and constructively.

• Lifelong Learning Leadership Opportunities – We never stop. We believe that leadership skills can and should be continually improved and refined. We provide programs and services to foster lifelong leadership learning opportunities.

HOBY Maryland carries out its mission by:

1. Providing interactive opportunities for critical thinking.

Participants interface with recognized leaders in business, industry, government, service, education, and the professions in give-and-take question and answer discussion sessions.

2. Promoting democracy and the free enterprise system.

Participants work in sessions which help them better understand economic incentives, private property, economic freedom, competition, the role of government, and the role of the media in a free society.

3. Encouraging social responsibility among individuals and corporations.

Participants focus on the importance of volunteerism, defining leadership as more than a healthy bottom line and by demonstrating that the best leaders and the best companies are those who act responsibly and become involved in improving the quality of life in their communities.

HOBY Marylands's most direct beneficiaries are the more than Maryland high school sophomores (at least one from each school) who attend our leadership seminar each year, and the high school freshmen who attend our CLeW programs throughout the state. HOBY Maryland benefits those schools which send their student ambassadors to our seminars and CLEWs, since these studens return to their schools with a new vitality, a greater sense of purpose, and a new set of resources that they can use to make their schools and communities better places in which to live. HOBY Maryland's sponsors benefit from the knowledge that they have contributed to the enhancement of their student's leadership potential, and therefore to their community's future. And, although no members of the staff or the board receive any financial compensation from HOBY Maryland, the personal rewards of their participation are enormous!

Programs of Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership and Hugh O'Brian Youth Maryland are funded through contributions from corporations, foundations and individuals. Gifts to the organization are tax deductible under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Service Code. The Maryland Leadership Seminar and local CLeWs are programs coordinated by the Maryland Leadership Seminar Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit organization, and is exempt from federal taxes under section 501(c)95-6082886. This organization is also registered with the State of Maryland as a charitable organization.