Georgia HOBY Newsletter:
Third Edition, April 1, 2013

Featured Alumnus: Jason Hatfield '11

HOBY was an OUTSTANDING experience for me, and has helped me step up as a leader in my community. Currently I’m a senior at Athens Academy, finishing up my plans for college.

HOBY has indeed helped me to stand up as a leader in my community. I am currently the director of our Relay for Life team and team captain of my swim team and one of the captains of our Track and Field team, where I lead the pole-vaulters. In addition, I started a foster home for animals this past year, where I have now hosted over 25 animals and have helped them find their new homes. Moreover, in a few short weeks, I will be publishing a paper to the science community on the avian flu virus. I am an active leader in the Boy scouts, having earned my Eagle award, and have led my local Order of the Arrow chapter, scouting’s honor society, for the past 2 years. I actively promote leadership, mainly through scouting, where I help teach younger scouts the responsibilities of leadership, and use much of what I learned at HOBY as examples to be a better teacher. I look forward to an OUTSTANDING college experience; I plan to double major in Genetics and Animal Science, and then go on to get a DVM in Veterinary Medicine.

HOBY Info:

Social Networking!!!

·                     Find us on Facebook GA HOBY Alumni

·                     Follow us on Twitter @HOBY_GEORGIA

·                     Feel free to send quotes to lutzofun@gmail.com to be put onto the Twitter page

Junior Staff

·                     April 8^th is when the decisions come! Stay on the lookout

Hours

·                     Keep logging them! Can you accomplish the 100 Hour Challenge? Georgia HOBY knows that you can.

·                     Rachel's Challenge: http://www.rachelschallenge.org/

·                     How is far has your Chain Reaction of Kindness reached?

This Blog

·                     And if you would like a "My favorite HOBY Experience" Blog Post to be posted in the future on this blog then, email lutzofun@gmail.com also with your response!

·                     Be on the lookout for the next Newsletter

My Favorite HOBY Experience

Caro Addams
Ambassador Year: 2012
The Howard School

My favorite memory at HOBY is when I read my poem at the Talent Show in front of everyone. Before the talent show, Ii was very nervous about reading it since I'm not good at speaking in front of crowds. I made tons of friends before hand that helped me feel better about sharing it with everyone. I didn't think my poem wasn't very good so i asked some people to read it and see what they think. I felt like i had inspired many people that night. Here is what I read. HOBY has given me the confidence to read this poem infront of many people. Enjoy!

Beautiful Nature

wide open fresh air
birds singing their sweet songs
flowers blooming everywhere
pollen getting everywhere
making everyone sneeze
beautiful blue skies with their big puffy clouds
even the rain is nice once in a while is good it helps the plants live
seeing the animals all happy
laying down in the grass feels relaxing
seeing the stars in the night sky makes me believe everything will be alright
seeing the full moon makes me wanna howl at it sometimes
all nature is beautiful in some way or another

My Favorite HOBY Experience...

Eni Asebiomo
Ambassador Year: 2012

Westside High School

The first thing I saw when I got to the Berry College campus last June was a couple of complete lunatics in t-shirts, running around, beating on car windows and screaming, as most lunatics tend to do. I remember my dad jokingly asking me whether he should turn around because obviously everyone here was crazy. As I checked in and got a t-shirt of my own, the Jr. Staff immediately corralled us into a large circle in the grass and this is when I became convinced that everyone was insane. The HOBY cheers, which I have now come to know and love, seem extremely wild and crazy on initial contact. I can vividly remember just how maniacal the Jr. Staff seemed as I met them for the first time. One of the first things I remember asking a fellow HOBY'er was, "Seriously, what are these people smoking!?" Little did I know that three short days later, I would be filled with the same said lunacy. Or as we call it, "HOBY Fire". HOBY was certainly one of the few things that I can claim as a life changing experience and it still positively affects my life to this day. There really is no family like the HOBY family, and possibly one of the most valuable lessons HOBY taught me was, sometimes you've got to be a little crazy. After all, I am a peacock! Ask me what I think about HOBY, and I'll tell you that it is absolutely OUTSTANDING!   

My Favorite HOBY Experience......

Clint Godwin 
Ambassador Year: 2012
Baconton Community Charter School

While everything about HOBY was amazing, this one memory in particular keeps OUTSTANDING in my mind.  The last official night of HOBY (and my last chance to show who I really am in front of 240+ sophomores) was the variety show. My team/group (GO RED LASERS) knew that I'm in a band and tried to convince me to sing in the show the whole weekend, but I said no repeatedly because I thought no one would like me.  Well, during the intermission of the variety show,  my AMAZING team leader (Adetinpo) convinced me to sing. And though I was nervous and didn't want to, I did. And I'm glad I did.  I feel like I got a pretty good reaction from the others.  In a way, that night changed my life. Since then, I'm not afraid to be myself. To stand out, and be who I'm meant to be: ME.  
Thanks HOBY, for everything y'all did for me, and for making a colossal difference in my life.  I hope that I'm blessed enough to go back for Junior Staff and help make that difference in another shy, quiet, introverted kid. So that he/she can truly be himself/herself without worrying about what anyone around thinks.

My Favorite HOBY Experience....

Savanna Kicklighter
Ambassador Year: 2012
Frederica Academy

My favorite HOBY memory would definitely have to be riding the pony. All week we had heard about the pony, but nobody would spill the beans about what it was exactly. Rumors spread about it, such as it's relation to LaFawnda. When we got in the field and made a circle to ride the pony, it became clear to me what friendship and what HOBY was exactly about- it starts with one. It took one person to start the pony. It takes one person to step out of their comfort zone and make friends, as well as take up the role of leadership. I just remember waiting on someone to pick me to ride the pony, and I remember laughing hysterically with everyone around me as we sang the pony song. It was the perfect way to close our activities, and it was the perfect last bonding moment before we had to go home.

Georgia HOBY Newsletter:
Second Edition, January 28, 2013

Featured Alumnus: Taylor Heffner '09

For the past few years I have been involved with HOBY!! What can I say, it is an OUTSTANDING organization to be apart of!! We are all one big family!
I am in my final year at Andrew College, a two year school in South Georgia, working on my Athletic Training degree. You can often find me out on the softball field where I spend most of my time coaching first base for the Lady Tigers. I enjoy every minute of it and would not trade it for the world! Andrew College has made a huge impact on my life along with the whole team and the great coaches and trainers I get to work with everyday!
I can always go back and remember my HOBY roots when I was an Ambassador in 2009. Im feeling old just thinking about it !!

HOBY Info:

Social Networking!!!

• Find us on Facebook GA HOBY Alumni
• Follow us on Twitter @HOBY_GEORGIA
• Feel free to send quotes to lutzofun@gmail.com to be put onto the Twitter page

Junior Staff

• If you are interested in Junior Staff for GAHOBY 2013, stay on the lookout because those applications will be available mid to late February

Hours

• Keep logging them! Can you accomplish the 100 Hour Challenge? Georgia HOBY knows that you can.
• Here is a way to put your volunteerism to work. Keep an eye out for a Facebook event coming soon for a chance to earn some hours, hang with alumni, and support Operation Christmas Child in March
• Rachel's Challenge: http://www.rachelschallenge.org/:
  How is far has your Chain Reaction of Kindness reached?
  

This Blog

• And if you would like a "My favorite HOBY Experience" Blog Post to be posted in the future on this blog then, email lutzofun@gmail.com also with your response!
• Be on the lookout for the next Newsletter

Georgia HOBY Newsletter:
First Edition, January 14, 2013

Featured Alumna: Heidi Barrs '07

For the last 3 and a half years of my life, I've been at the grindstone, earning my B.S. in Psychology and my A.B. in Sociology at the University of Georgia. For the next two years of my life, I'll be at the grindstone, doing my best to ensure that a handful of Georgia's youth gets the same opportunity that I had. I will also be using my minor in Spanish to bring an excellent education to children of bilingual backgrounds in our state. I've recently accepted an offer from one of Fortune Magazine's Top 100 Employers to work for, Teach For America, to join their Metro Atlanta 2013 Corps. I am indescribably excited to move to Atlanta to start my career and begin work on closing the achievement gap in Georgia.

HOBY Info:

Social Networking!!!

• Find us on Facebook GA HOBY Alumni
• Follow us on Twitter @HOBY_GEORGIA
• Feel free to send quotes to lutzofun@gmail.com to be put onto the Twitter page

Junior Staff

• If you are interested in Junior Staff for GAHOBY 2013, stay on the lookout because those applications will be available mid to late February 

Hours

• Keep logging them! Can you accomplish the 100 Hour Challenge? Georgia HOBY thinks you can.
• Here is a way to put your volunteerism to work. Keep an eye out for a Facebook event coming soon for a chance to earn some hours, hang with alumni, and support Operation Christmas Child in March 

This Blog

• And if you would like a "My favorite HOBY Experience" Blog Post to be posted in the future on this blog then, email lutzofun@gmail.com also with your response!
• Be on the lookout for the next Newsletter