post hoby blues

The HOBY weekend has come and gone. Many of you may be experiencing what I call the "post HOBY blues." Realizing the impact and fun of the weekend is over proves tough. But the good things to be thankful for: new friends were made, new shirts were obtained (my total HOBY shirt count: 8), bananas were formed, the moose decomposed yet again, adults inspired teenagers, teenagers inspired adults, memories were created, and the GA HOBY family grew +235. What a great weekend! On behalf of the corporate board, we were so glad to see everything come together yet again in a place where the gnats swarm, the heat blazes, and the fire alarms sound. Despite those minor obstacles, I hope everyone enjoyed GA HOBY 2011 as much as I did. It is truly outstanding and encouraging to get to gather together with such great people and share motivating ideas. 

If you would like to share a testimony, pictures, videos, or anything else for the blog, please send them to gahobyfundraising@gmail.com!

Have an OUTSTANDING week!

final countdown

TWO MORE DAYS, PEOPLE!!! Can you believe it? HOBY 2011 is almost here, and we couldn't be more excited! Tons of planning, preparation, forwarded e-mail madness, stress, sweat, tears, and dedication have gone into what will be one OUTSTANDING seminar weekend. HOBY family reunited, new memories made, a huge change to the one-seminar layout, hot Georgia summer heat, new ambassadors/future volunteers, early mornin' coffee and cheers, and some awesome dorm life shower curtains... GET. READY. It's going to be a great weekend!!! Can't wait to see everyone there! Drive safe, don't speed (been there, done that, got the ticket), and come prepared with lots of energy!

All staff members: please be at HOBY headquarters at GSW by 7:00 p.m. 

testimony tuesday.3

I know it's technically Wednesday, but "testimony wednesday" doesn't have the same ring. Enjoy hearing about this HOBY influence from one of GA HOBY's most dedicated volunteers...

"What does HOBY mean to me? The better question is, what does HOBY not mean to me? Entering into the 9th year since my seminar, HOBY has become such an integral part of my life that I couldn't even imagine who I would be without it.  HOBY has taught me many things over the years of volunteering, from being able to really listen to others to understanding that we are never done growing as leaders to humbling ourselves (that last one, I'm still working on! :D ). HOBY has given me my family! The people I work with throughout the year to put on our seminar aren't just volunteers or friends, they are the people I first turn to when something goes wrong or goes great! Whether we go to the Braves' game or have Glinner (yes that's a combo of Glee and Dinner), we see each other all the time!  If I could tell my 16 year old self one thing, it would be, "Your world is about to change forever. Embrace it!" Hind sight is 20/20, so now I have the opportunity and privilege to look at current 16 year old kids and say, "Your world has forever changed because you took the chance to attend a program that looks at each person and tells them, 'I believe in you!'" That's what HOBY means to me!"

-Cameron "Daddy Cam" Bridges

GA HOBY Alum 03

Cameron receives an OUTSTANDING staff member HOBY blog award because of all the hard work and sass he has put into this program, especially this year! There is so much effort that goes on behind the scenes by many dedicated volunteers, and Cameron is a prime example of someone who gives his all to Georgia HOBY. Thanks for all that you do, Daddy Cam!! It is so appreciated! HOBY love!

testimony tuesday.2

"During the beginning of my sophomore year, I was presented with an application that would eventually change my life. The application was for the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) seminar. At the time, I really did not know a lot about the program. I understood that it was a leadership seminar, and since it was my second year as class president, I thought I might benefit from going. Teachers and counselors told me how amazing it would look on a college application and encouraged me to fill out the application. So I filled out the fairly short application and wrote a short essay, and about a week or two later, I was informed that I had been selected as my school’s HOBY ambassador. That following summer, I attended the seminar. The experience was one that I will never forget. Within less than an hour’s time, I had fallen in love. The high concentration of such an outstanding caliber of individuals was overwhelming. I looked around me and saw people with so many different backgrounds, values, and talents. We were all so different, yet united with a common goal. “Empower. Lead. Excel.” These words are the motto of HOBY. They sum up the purpose of our passion. After the seminar was over, I experienced a burning rush of inspiration that would carry over into the next summer to be rekindled by HOBY once more. However, this time was different. Now, instead of being an ambassador, I was a JR. staff member. I was able to get a completely different rush. Instead of experiencing the excitement of realizing the potential feats I could accomplish, I was able to inspire others to go out and “Empower. Lead. Excel.”

-David James Johnson

Westfield School

GA HOBY ALUM 2009

fundraising campaign

Dear all volunteers, students, parents, business people, and friends:

May is a crucial time for fundraising as we are approaching the weekend long outstanding program that is Georgia HOBY! We are so excited about this year's program and the opportunities and relationships that will come with it. If you have helped with the fundraising campaign, THANK YOU!! If you have not and would like to, there is still time! Fundraising is an around-the-calendar effort and sustains the life of this organization. Pass along an email, mention HOBY at a meeting, or spark a story for a local newspaper. There are multiple ways to help! 

Any amount of donation is greatly appreciated! You can donate online through PayPal located on this blog or the website, www.gahoby.org, or send a check made payable to:

Georgia HOBY
P.O. Box 421864
Atlanta, GA  30342

Help us spread the word about HOBY and how it impacts the lives of future leaders across the state!

testimony tuesday

Every Tuesday I'm going to try to post a couple of short testimonies from Georgia HOBY alumni or volunteers. This organization has influenced the lives of so many students and professionals across Georgia, and through personal stories like these, any reader can sense the impact of HOBY.

"I moved from California in the beginning of 10th grade, and HOBY really brought me out of my shell. Now after 5 years I'm still happily involved in GA HOBY and have met several of my best friends through the program. I am a Business major at the University of Georgia with the intention of facilitating team building and leadership training on a corporate level once I graduate. I can very confidently say that Hugh O Brian Youth Leadership changed my life." 

-Adetinpo Thomas
Student at the University of Georgia

"I wish I could put down on paper what HOBY means to me, but I never have been able to, and I know I never will. I have made lifelong friends, and I have been given opportunities that I would have never dreamed possible. Most important, though, my experience and years with HOBY has given me confidence. I went from an awkward, self-conscious teenage girl to the significantly less awkward, self-assured young woman I am today. I have been given the confidence to walk into any situation head-on, knowing that I can handle whatever comes my way. I have a burning desire to motivate other students who are in the same place I was years ago. If I could accomplish only one thing with my time at HOBY from now on, it would be to give every 16-year-old I meet the courage not to be someone else. I feel that at that point in my life, being myself was the hardest thing imaginable. I didn’t even know who I was. HOBY helped me figure it out, and it made me realize that who I am is enough. After I got that part down, it made everything else so much easier. I became a better leader, and I became better at motivating others to accomplish what I had done. Yes, HOBY is about leadership, but its secret weapon is the confidence it instills in every young person who goes through the program. This confidence is what makes these students the leaders of the future."
-Heidi Barrs
Student at the University of Georgia

Do you have a HOBY testimony that you would like to share? Email it to gahobyfundraising@gmail.com.