Georgia HOBY Newsletter:
Thirty-Ninth Edition, September 12, 2015
Featured Alumni: Captain America, SouthEast '15
Three months ago to the day, these group of 11 Oustanding individuals came together to begin their HOBY journey at the Georgia SouthEast 2015 Seminar! These are their favorite experiences from their alumni weekend!
Pinewood Christian Academy
My time at HOBY was truly wonderful. I met so many great friends and learned how to better myself and my community. Although there are many fond memories that I gained from the experience, my favorite would have to be the time in between the activities. All of the people on my team really bonded with each other, and we created friendships that will last forever. While walking to and from activities, the conversations that I had with my other outstanding teammates made my HOBY experience even more special!
Amy Sethna
Union Grove High School
HOBY. Who knew that such a small phrase could make such a large and lasting impression on me? I for sure did not. Although it was only 3 days, I made some of the best experiences in my life. The relationships that I was able to build was life changing and the concepts I learned will help change the way I look and act in my community. Every activity that was done, regardless of my personal feelings towards them, helped shape me into not just a better leader, but a better person. Before HOBY, I knew I wanted to make a difference, but now after HOBY I know how. I am confident not that I can make a difference to the best of my ability. The concept of "Beyond You" really changed my outlook on life. I had always known that I was meant to do something bigger than myself, but HOBY helped me reassure myself that I am definitely doing what is right. I always ask myself "where in the world would I be without HOBY" and still I am glad to say "I have absolutely no idea." HOBY is great, great is HOBY.
John Milledge Academy
When I was first asked if I would like to attend something by the name of "HOBY", I was quite scared! I felt such an honor being asked to attend, but I was still scared. I heard it was fun in the past from my fellow peers but I thought "Oh, something nice to put on a resume". I shortly learned after I arrived that it was truly fun and yeah it went on my resume, but it was more than that. It was the best time I had ever had. Making new friends and learning new aspects to take on life helped me grow as a person, and I was so happy to do it with the rest of Captain America! To my awesome leaders during the seminar that changed my life, I believe that you made the largest impact on me and everyone else with how you introduced us and made us feel like a true family. I believe it truly changed me for the better and I also made a new family that I will always cherish! Captain America, I love all of you and I "Believe That We Will Lead!!!!!"
Wyatt Galloway
Piedmont Academy
My favorite HOBY memory would have to be reflections. Reflections is a time towards the end of HOBY where everyone comes together and the ambassadors share what they have learned or what HOBY has done for them. It was just an awe-inspiring time where people told their stories and how HOBY had impacted them. To me even though I wasn't a leader or a facilitator just knowing that by being there and interacting with people that I had impacted there lives is just indescribable. The entire room was so attentive to each ambassador's story, which was a really nice change from the daily pace of life. To see the impact that three days of HOBY had on a group of teenagers has inspired me to take the next step and what that step is I don't know yet. But I'm seeking it out and I'm ready to make a difference because of HOBY.
Callen Davidson
Wesleyan High School
My favorite memory from my weekend at HOBY was how quickly our team be close friends. I never would have guessed that would still be talking with them after only being with them for a weekend. Every activity we did brought us closer together. We really became like a family over the weekend, which is incredible. I can’t wait to see my team again, and I can truly say that they will be my friends for a very long time.
Anyzia Spearman-Lott
Wayne County High School
My favorite memory of HOBY would have to be the time my team and I, Captain America, spent together earning our first service hours. For the first hour or so, we worked on Project Linus creating fleece blankets to help those in need. We ended up finishing three entire blankets between our team and learned how to work better as a group. And what a coincidence that we were able to make an "America" blanket to represent our awesome team!!! Once this project was completed, we moved on to make chew toys for the animal shelter. We ripped up jeans that were no longer being used and tied torn pieces together. For fun, we tried on what was left of the jeans and overall we had a blast! I think that was the day we really bonded as a group and created a bond that will last forever. Overall, HOBY was a great experience for me that I will truly never forget, but having a good time with my new 'fam' would have to be at the top of the list.
My favorite memory of HOBY would have to be the time my team and I, Captain America, spent together earning our first service hours. For the first hour or so, we worked on Project Linus creating fleece blankets to help those in need. We ended up finishing three entire blankets between our team and learned how to work better as a group. And what a coincidence that we were able to make an "America" blanket to represent our awesome team!!! Once this project was completed, we moved on to make chew toys for the animal shelter. We ripped up jeans that were no longer being used and tied torn pieces together. For fun, we tried on what was left of the jeans and overall we had a blast! I think that was the day we really bonded as a group and created a bond that will last forever. Overall, HOBY was a great experience for me that I will truly never forget, but having a good time with my new 'fam' would have to be at the top of the list.
Emily Brown
Savannah Christian Preparatory School
Going into HOBY I was scared I wasn't going to have any fun because I had no clue what HOBY even was. Immediately I was overwhelmed with the cheers and overly nice Junior Staff but once we broke into teams everything became great. My team (Captain American aka the best team) clicked super fast once we got past the awkward part of the first meeting on the steps outside the auditorium. My favorite part of the entire weekend was doing the group games where we finally bonded and got to know each other. After that first activity, the awkwardness went away and we became super close and full of American pride.
Mariah Hutcheson
Coffee High School
I go to school in Coffee County. Awesome name for a county, I know. You know what else is awesome? HOBY!!! Even more so, it's OUTSTANDING! I'm honestly utterly honored that I got to be a part of HOBY. It was an amazing experience with amazing people that I'll never forget. I loved the high energy and all of the team building activities! My favorite exercise was probably when we had to get a ball from point A to inside of point B (point B being a little orange cone propped upside down against a tree) using pieces of pipe. This TeamScape game made Captain America trust each other's judgment and our own to keep the ball steady, aimed in the right direction, and rolling at a manageable pace. I'm not going to lie, it was pretty intense, but I loved it and the way it brought us together. It probably helped that the people in my team (CAPTAIN AMERICA FOR LIFE) are spectacular people. In fact everyone at HOBY, including staff, were, are, and always will be outstanding (triple "HUH" of course), and I couldn't be more grateful to have been a part of it.
Meg Cordone
St. Pius X Catholic High School
My favorite HOBY memory was doing the team Captain America cheer. We created the cheer on the first day and even though introductions were awkward at first, creating our “I believe that we will lead” cheer broke the ice. We were the first team to create a cheer and throughout the course of HOBY, we recited our patriotic chant every chance we got. We even sang the National Anthem in the talent show and ended it with our memorable cheer. I enjoyed being in the middle of the cheer holding a Captain America wand and being surrounded by my enthusiastic teammates. Huddling together with these people that I grew so close to reinforced the support that we all expressed for each other. We have each other’s backs, and I felt this the most while coming together to vocalize our team spirit.
Power Evans
Winder Barrow High School
I think my favorite memory from HOBY had to have been the talent show. We got to see each other show their true selves and their skills. Watching people get up and do what they did is a wonderful human bonding experience. Every time I think about that moment I think about the future and how it will be changed by everyone that was in that room. The level of support from everyone watching was such an incredible experience. It blew me away that everyone was in sync in encouraging and cheering on every single act! It made my time on the stage singing the National Anthem with the greatest group ever (CAPTAIN AMERICA) all the more special!
Ally Orenstein
Valdosta High School
There were a lot of fun times in my experience at HOBY, but my favorite memory would have to be the team building games. At first you assume the games are going to be really typical and predictable, which is what I originally thought, but then you realize they’re tons of fun while at the same time quickly bringing you closer to your team. Not only that, but each of the games brought out the strengths in every one of the team members. Where one person wasn’t as confident, someone stepped up when it was necessary and vice versa. It was really cool to get to see leadership in action from my teammates as well as myself. Teamscapes was definitely the best time when Captain America bonded, and I am so happy to have been apart of such an OUTSTANDING team!
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Hours
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