Q: What is HOBY?
Q: What is the purpose of the state leadership seminar?
Q: How are students selected to attend a HOBY Leadership Seminar?
Q: What do students receive by attending their state leadership seminar?
Q: What are the benefits after attending a HOBY Leadership Seminar?
Ambassadors are also challenged to complete a minimum of 100 hours of volunteer service annually. As of August 2004, more than 150 HOBY Ambassadors from Maryland have volunteered more than 12,400 hours in over 700 service projects across the state.
HOBY Alumni can continue their involvement with Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership by attending Alumni functions, volunteering for the annual leadership seminar, or attending a one-day Community Leadership Workshop (CLEW) held in local communities. Alumni are also eligible to receive Ambassador Leadership Scholarships from various colleges and universities across the country to help fund higher education through graduate school.
Q: How much does it cost to attend a HOBY leadership seminar?
Q: What kind of supervision is provided at the leadership seminar?
Q: What are the seminar accommodations like?
Q: Where and when is the annual leadership seminar held?
Q: How can I learn more about HOBY Maryland?
For any additional information not found within this website, contact the Seminar Chair.
A: Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership, or HOBY, is a non-profit organization committed to seek out, recognize and develop leadership potential commencing with high school sophomores. Founded in Los Angeles, California in 1958 by actor Hugh O'Brian, HOBY implements its purpose in three ways: by providing interactive opportunities for critical thinking; by promoting democracy and America's incentive system; and by encouraging social responsibility among individuals and participating corporations. To accomplish these goals, each spring 88 HOBY leadership seminars bring together over 14,000 selected students from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, and Mexico.
A: The annual leadership seminars are the conduit to support the primary objectives of Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership: to encourage and assist members of the formative age group in their quest for self-identification and development; to interface these potential leaders with recognized leaders in business, industry, government, science, education, and the professions through give and take workshops; to stimulate opportunities for these young people to demonstrate their leadership abilities when they return home for betterment of community and country.
A: Each September, the National Association of Secondary School Principals sends nomination materials to all 22,500 public and private high schools in the United States. Each school selects an outstanding sophomore, based on their leadership potential, and nominates that student to represent their school at their state seminar.
A: Seminar attendees, or HOBY Ambassadors, are provided with an opportunity to learn about America's incentive system. Through interactive question-and-answer sessions with local civic and corporate leaders, students are engaged in stimulating discussions and are encouraged "how to think, not what to think." Exposure to topics such as education, business ethics, entrepreneurship, free enterprise, volunteerism, and media helps to build the ongoing leadership development of these students. Ambassadors will also participate in service learning project as part of HOBY's commitment to the "President's Summit for America's Future." Throughout the four-day seminar, students also build new friendships and networks with the 250 Ambassadors from across the Maryland that attend the seminar.
A: Many students return home 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. With this new enthusiasm, HOBY Ambassadors can create a ripple effect of social responsibility in their communities.
A: The school is asked to pay a registration fee of $150 to HOBY International (our offices in Los Angeles). Sometimes this fee is paid by the parent. The all-volunteer Maryland committee raises the state seminar expenses for room & board, copies & postage, and program supplies (approximately $35,000) from generous sponsorships from the private sector, service organizations, and individuals. Women’s Clubs, Jaycees, Kiwanis, and Optimists financially sponsor individual schools to the seminar.
A: The seminar is chaperoned by qualified adult male and female facilitators who will be staying at the facility 24 hours a day. Ambassadors will also be organized into small groups led by an adult facilitator and a recent HOBY alumni Junior Facilitator to support the HOBY experience.
A: Meetings are held in lecture halls, meeting rooms, or classrooms at the seminar site. Ambassadors are assigned to a sleeping room with one or two other Ambassadors on floor reserved exclusively for the seminar. Everyone will receive nutritious breakfasts, lunches, and dinners throughout the weekend.
A: The 2008 leadership seminar will be held at Mount Saint Mary's University from May 23 to May 25, 2008.
A: Contact the seminar chair at seminarchair@hobymd.org.
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