HOBY 2011 was a Huge Success!
TALLAHASSEE, FL ‐ North Florida HOBY, a local seminar of the nationally renowned Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Organization took place the week of June 9-12, 2011. Elite high school sophomores representing schools from all over North Florida participated in activities aimed at building confidence in their leadership and critical thinking abilities.
On Friday, the Ambassadors began their weekend with a tour of the Capitol building. Students were invited into the Florida House of Representatives Chambers, where they learned about the history of the legislative process, participated in a mock debate session, and got to meet some of the legislators. The Ambassadors also toured the Florida Museum of Natural History and participated in an OXFAM hunger banquet. After lunch, the Ambassadors attended a panel discussion with a variety of Tallahassee area business leaders on entrepreneurship, and the role of leadership in everyday life.
The extended weekend also allowed the ambassadors to flex their service muscles. On Saturday, the 104 ambassadors and 50 staff members participated in service projects throughout the City of Tallahassee including: The Salvation Army, Kids Incorporated, and Second Harvest of the Big Bend. Other activities enjoyed by the Ambassadors throughout the weekend included one-on-one time with local professionals, Goal writing sessions with fellow Ambassadors, many thought provoking and engaging panel discussions and activities that encouraged formation of lifelong friendships. On Sunday, the Ambassadors were joined by their parents at the closing ceremony at the FSU Alumni Center. During this event, a panel of experts was assembled to help the parents and ambassadors begin planning for their future college endeavors. Ambassadors left feeling a renewed outlook on life, the world, and their futures.
Founded in 1958 by legendary actor Hugh O'Brian (TV's Wyatt Earp), the HOBY program nationally reaches out to every public and private high school - as well as conducting HOBY-style programs internationally including efforts in Bolivia, Canada, Mexico, China, Korea, Taiwan and Israel. HOBY provides a platform for outstanding young leaders to develop their potential. We don't teach Ambassadors what to think, we teach them how to think for themselves. They are encouraged to take what they have learned about themselves, others, and the world back to their schools and communities. They often discover that every great idea starts with one person. HOBY alumni are leaders in their schools and communities, throughout the United States and the world, making a difference for others through service.
The HOBY Mission
Our Vision
"To motivate and empower individuals to make a positive difference within our global society through understanding and action based on effective and compassionate leadership."
- 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 and of giving back. We seek to promote and encourage service among our stakeholders. We recognize and value the positive accomplishments that volunteers can achieve by working together. We believe that volunteers are positively impacted by our programs as much as the youth and communities we serve.
- Integrity Integrity forms the foundation of our organization. We demand the highest level of ethics. We grow our organization based on interactions that promote mutual trust and respect with our stakeholders and partners. We strive to ensure the highest level of organizational effectiveness by continually reviewing our programs and processes to improve quality and efficiency.
- Excellence We strive to continually raise our programs and business to new levels of excellence. We encourage entrepreneurship and innovation in business, education, and social responsibility. We develop creative solutions to address challenges and to utilize opportunities. We believe that leadership skills can and should be continually improved and refined.
- 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 equal opportunity to be heard and to benefit from our programs.
- Community Partnership We value community partnerships. We recognize the importance of working with community organizations to strengthen our supportive network. We value the input we receive from our community partners, and strive to work together cooperatively and constructively for the betterment of all.