The mission of the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) is to inspire and develop our global community of youth and volunteers to a life dedicated to leadership, service and innovation.

The Vision is to motivate and empower individuals to make a positive difference within our global society through understanding and action based on effective and compassionate leadership.

Fulfilling HOBY's Purpose HOBY goes about fulfilling our purpose through unique weekend programs, which count on a highly interactive process rather than having student take notes while adults lecture. HOBY Seminars bring together the best of two worlds; high school sophomores with demonstrated leadership qualities - tomorrow's leaders - with today's leaders who have distinguished themselves in business, education, government, the arts and sciences, and the professions. Through intense, but informal, discussions with these persons and among themselves, HOBY leaders get a realistic look at their nation, its people and their role in the world community.

HOBY Leadership Seminars are designed by your state's organizing committee to create an experience for your sophomore leader that will produce the following hoped-for results:

• Students learn to better think critically. HOBY motivates students by showing them how to think can be just as important as what to think.
  
• Students enhance their leadership skills. Through HOBY's question-and-answer, give-and-take format, by participating in small group discussions, and by taking on leadership roles during the seminar itself, the 10th graders come to better understand leadership and begin to identify their own particular leadership strengths. Elective sessions with a specific leadership theme, keynote speakers, and leadership simulation exercises complement their individual understanding.
  
• Students learn more about "America's Incentive System," including democracy, free enterprise, and volunteerism and service to community. Through exposure to quality leaders in these arenas, students get a clearer picture of what makes our way of life "tick" and what must be done to preserve their vocational future.
  
• Students discover that they are not alone in their desire to lead and to make their schools and communities better places. Meeting students from their own communities and state who feel the same way is a powerful and reaffirming experience.
  
• Students are motivated to accept risks of leadership and catch a vision of what can be. All aspects of the Leadership Seminar are geared to encourage the students to see leadership as a life-goal worth pursuing. At the conclusion of the Seminar, the students are encouraged to identify three personal service goals, commit to achieving one or more within the next six months, and report back to HOBY, their classmates, and their sponsors on their achievements. They come away from their Seminar experience having learned that as individuals, they are important and that their thoughts and actions can make a difference; they do not have to wait until they are "grown-up" to positively influence the world and their surrounding environments.

HOBY conducts its Leadership Seminars for high school sophomores at no cost to the student or to the student’s family. There is a $150 school registration fee that is paid to HOBY International.  HOBY's programs are organized and conducted by HOBY and its state affiliates. The Leadership Seminars are funded through contributions from corporations, service organizations, foundations and individuals. Gifts to HOBY are tax-deductible as allowed by law under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All expenses, except personal spending money and travel to the Seminar site, are paid for by your local HOBY organization

• All sophomores in your school.
• Only one student is selected as your HOBY Ambassador.
• Each accredited public and private high school in your state may participate.

Guaranteed acceptance deadline is in early December of each year. Complete the registration online at the national HOBY web site (www.hoby.org) Please photocopy Nomination Form and keep a file copy.

 If you miss the guaranteed deadline, the late nomination deadline is Mid-March of each year.  Acceptance, however, is space-available.

Your student will receive information as least four weeks prior to seminar. New York State seminars are usually scheduled for the month of May or June of each year. Often times, the Seminar planning committee sends a notification after the first of the year.

Scholarship opportunities offered through our special arrangements with many universities and colleges. Opportunity to be selected to attend HOBY's annual World Leadership Congress.  Many other opportunities are available such as America’s Promise, Congressional Award, Intrax Study Abroad, Presidential Classroom. For more information go to www.hoby.org.