this is the way we hoby-o!

Georgia HOBY Newsletter:

Fifty-Fifth Edition, February 15, 2016

Featured Alumnus: Thaxton Lipscomb '12

     HOBY was a very pivotal experience in my life. The programs, lessons, and relationships this one weekend fostered would create such a lasting impact moving into my future. HOBY forced me to step outside my comfort zone, to see others as what they are, people. HOBY was able to celebrate our differences while showing us our common theme of humanity. In this seminar we grew individually, as a group, and as a cohort. In addition to meeting people from inside my own group, and the staff I was able to meet people from other groups and from the various parts of Georgia. Following my departure I remained in contact with several of my fellow ambassadors, and they are now some of the closest relationships I have in my young adult life. It is because of the skills and confidence I discovered in HOBY my sophomore year, that the two years following I was able to accomplish many great goals such as becoming, the first African American male Student Body President in my high school's history, the campaign manager for my high school in winning the Southern Association of Student Councils presidency and bring the conference back to Georgia for the first time in 40 years, a Gates Millennium Scholar, and AJC metro Atlanta senior of the year. It was because of HOBY many of these things came to be. Due to how life changing, enhancing, and eye opening this experience was for me I wanted to be able to pay forward this incredible opportunity afforded to me, and create the same kind of positive catalyst for other young leaders and so wanted to come back as a volunteer.
     Coming back as a volunteer for Georgia HOBY seminars I was able to establish a deep bond with people of all Alumni years, backgrounds, and walks of life, while ensuring ambassadors that followed my cohort had just as amazing and impactful of a time. No matter how little sleep we got, or how much work we had to do, we always had a smile on our face. This smile was not one we had to force or pretend but one of a genuine nature from being around great people who shared themselves, their stories, triumphs and tragedies and cared deeply for one another and this program.
     Outside of Georgia, HOBY has allowed me the platform to be able to connect with people no matter where I am. Though I went through the Georgia HOBY seminar, after graduating high school now attend Clemson University located in Clemson, SC. The great people of HOBY and actions being taken by them to impact the community does not stop at the Georgia border. There are a slew of Outstanding people that I have met through simply wearing a HOBY t-shirt around campus that I have been able to be connected to from the South Carolina HOBY and other state's seminar. The joy and pride we all share no matter what seminar we attended or year is unbelievable as well as the impact they have made on our personal lives, and that we have in turn been able to make on our communities. To put it in layman's terms HOBY is simply...Outstanding.

HOBY Info:

Amazon Smile

• If your shop at Amazon, the switch to Amazon Smile (https://smile.amazon.com/ch/94-2861279). It is the exact same website, but 0.5% of purchases will be donated to a charity of your choice.
• Choose Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership (Atlanta, GA) as your charity!

Social Networking!!!

• Find us on Facebook: GA HOBY Alumni
• Follow us on Twitter: @GA_HOBY  
• Follow us on Instagram: hoby_georgia
• Follow us on Vine: Georgia HOBY
• Follow us on SnapChat: hobygeorgia
• Check our the website: www.gahoby.org
• Check out our YouTube channel: HOBY Georgia
• Check out http://hobycheers.wikidot.com/list-of-hoby-cheers for awesome cheers

Hours

• Keep logging them! Can you accomplish the 100 Hour Challenge? Georgia HOBY knows that you can. Here is the place to do so: https://reg.hoby.org/HOBYL4S/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fHOBYL4S%2f
• Need ideas for Volunteering projects? Email gahobyalumniadvisor@gmail.com, check the HOBY website: hoby.org, and/or research into what your community needs!
• How far has your Chain Reaction of Kindness reached?

This Blog

• If you would like post a "My Favorite HOBY Experience" in the future on this blog, then email gahobyfundraising@gmail.com also with your response!
• Be on the lookout for the next Newsletter or My Favorite HOBY Experience Post