Past Featured Alumni
HOBY Alumnus Michael Poteran Remembered
When Michael Poteran arrived at the 2004 HOBY Leadership Seminar in Northern California, he stood out brightly from the crowd of student leaders because of his positive attitude and energy. He left HOBY that summer dreaming big and knowing he could change the world. We knew Michael would, too, but none of us could have known how soon or how drastically.
We learned just four months later that Michael was diagnosed with a terribly rare form of cancer - neuroendocrine carcinoma. Michael's determination and resolve made it easy to champion his cause as his school, family and friends all rallied around him. Despite chemotherapy, Michael was adamant about staying involved in HOBY. He returned to the seminar as a volunteer in 2005 and 2006 to inspire others. He was a living example of being true to oneself.
Michael was a dancer, musician, model, writer and comedian - a true artist of life and a young Renaissance man. Culture made his world revolve, from sushi to Buddhism to Vivaldi. He adored playing both rugby and the violin and was quite good at both. Michael was a very spiritual person, intuitive and wise beyond his years; a so called "old soul."
After a three year struggle, the Poteran family experienced the devastating loss of Michael on October 7, 2007. Michael's family and friends from HOBY and Jesuit High School gathered on October 20th to celebrate a life well-lived.
Nathaniel Nelson Awarded Scholarship to Stanford University
Nathaniel Nelson, 2005 South Dakota HOBY Alumnus, was awarded a $180,000 scholarship to Stanford University from Questbridge. QuestBridge is a non-profit program that links bright, motivated low-income students with educational and scholarship opportunities at some of the nation's best colleges. Learn more about QuestBridge by visiting www.questbridge.org.
Danielle Yaros Wins Miss Teen of America Title
Danielle Yaros, daughter of Stephen and Christine Yaros of Wilkes-Barre, and 2006 Central Pennsylvania HOBY Alumna, competed in the Miss Teen of America Pageant 2006 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Danielle competed for the title of Miss Teen of America as a result of her capturing the title of Miss Teen of Pennsylvania. Danielle was selected as Miss Teen of America from the reigning Miss Teens of each of the 50 states.
Danielle was judged in six categories: Scholastic Record, Achievement and Service to School and Community, Personal Development of Talents and Skills, General Awareness Written Test, Personality Projection in Formal Wear, and Judges' Interview. During the national competition weekend, Danielle gave a five-minute inspirational speech entitled "YOU Can Change the World, which was based on her HOBY experience. "HOBY has shown me that teenagers, as the leaders of tomorrow, really can make a difference in the world," says Danielle. She also gave a seven-minute special interest speech entitled "A Different Kind of Vacation" which focused on her experience as part of an eleven-member mission team to Ecuador in June of 2005. As Miss Teen of America, some of Danielle's appearances included being an honored guest in the St. Paul Winter Carnival and Parade. She was also be a guest speaker at the Distinguished Youth of Texas Program held in Austin, Texas. She traveled to Australia for a two-week period where she was be a guest speaker at schools, rotary clubs, civic events, and local mediaoutlets. As Miss Teen of America, Danielle also toured the U.S. attending the Miss Teen pageants of the various states and awarding the new title holders. She was also active locally as a guest speaker for various schools, clubs, and organizations,including HOBY. Danielle notes, "After attending the HOBY Seminar in May, 2006, I had the determination and confidence to go back to my community and be a leader in the different types of volunteer activities I was already involved in.
Aaron Tang founds "Our Education" - another alumni non-profit changing the world
"A million voices, one right!" is Aaron Tang's mantra for his new Leadership for Service opportunity. Aaron, a 1999 HOBY Ohio North Ambassador, along with his college classmates at Yale, created "Our Education" in hopes of encouraging students to "their voice" and take an active role in improving America's educational system. Through a nation-wide petition campaign, they are working towards ensuring quality education for all students, a right guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
"Our Education's mission is to improve public education in America by engaging and empowering young people across the country in a national student movement for better schools. We believe that the best chance we have to get the kinds of schools we need in America is for youth themselves to play a leading role in the effort to secure them," said Aaron."I remember vividly the following line that was repeated over and over again during my HOBY program: We have an incredible opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others.' It's a line that I try to live by to this very day, knowing that the educational opportunities that I have been blessed with ought to be available to every American child. And yet, dramatic inequality plagues our schools along geographic, socioeconomic, and racial lines and every 30 seconds a student drops out of high school. We can and must do better for all our children, because how we take care of our nation's future says everything about each of us," states Aaron.
Our Education's long-term vision is to build a powerful voice for students themselves-like an AARP for youth-to influence elected officials to make schools a number one priority in America. They envision having chapters of Our Education students working across the country with an active role in local school decisions as well as state and federal education policy and budgeting. With more than three hundred students going through their training this summer, Our Education is well on its way towards making a national impact.
HOBY Alumni Remembered
We were sad to learn that two of the students who died in the shootings at Virginia Tech on Monday, April 16, 2007 were HOBY Alumni.
Jarrett Lane, an alumnus of the 2001 Virginia Leadership Seminar, was a senior at Virginia Tech majoring in civil engineering. He was from Narrows, VA, and graduated from Narrows High School in 2003. The NY Times reported, “He was an exceptional young man,” said school principal Robert Stump. “Very quiet and humble, and very popular... He was always one of the hardest workers,” Mr. Stump said. “One time, after he’d had a good basketball game, he went up to the coach and said, ‘Coach, what do I have to work on so that we can be better’.”
Caitlin Hammaren, an alumna of the 2003 New York East HOBY Leadership Seminar, was a sophomore at Virginia Tech majoring in International Studies and French. She was from Westtown, NY, and graduated from Minisink Valley High School in 2005. As reported in a NY Times article, “She was just one of the most outstanding young individuals that I’ve had the privilege of working with in my 31 years as an educator,” said John P. Latini, the principal of Minisink Valley High School where Ms. Hammaren graduated in 2005. “Caitlin was a leader among our students,” remembered Mr. Latini.
Please keep all those affected by this tragedy in your thoughts and prayers. HOBY offers our support to the entire Virginia Tech community.
Kimberly M. Phares Founds VH Habitat Service Club
Kimberly left her HOBY Leadership Weekend in Troy Alabama in June of 2005, taking on the Leadership for Service Challenge. Kimberly was inspired to start a Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter at her high school, not realizing the work and reward involved! Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry. HFHI seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. Read on to see how Kimberly and her chapter overcame the obstacles of starting a new chapter and building a house in the same year!
In Her Own Words
At Vestavia Hills High School, a HOBY nomination is a competitive and sought after process. I was thrilled and honored when I received word that I would represent my school last May in Troy, Alabama, but little did I know that the experience would truly be life-changing. As I tearfully left my new friends that Sunday, I made a decision to take the "Leadership for Service" challenge. As I was searching our local Habitat for Humanity website for the next build dates, I came across information on Campus Chapters in our area. Why couldn&rsquot;t I start a campus chapter at our school? We have service clubs, but none that come close to having such an impact as providing adequate housing for families.
As I spoke with local Habitat affiliates about starting a chapter to fund and build a home, I was told that we would need to raise funds one year and start the home the next year. They told me, "No one to our knowledge has ever built a home in their charter year." There is always a first and we would be it!!! If I had realized the hard work and time commitment involved with this, I probably would have shied away from this endeavor, but once I got started, it literally took on a life of its own and the ride has been phenomenal.
Our club has over 10 percent of our student body as members and I am pleased to say that we have plans to break ground the end of January on our home. Through bake sales, a fundraising dinner, cell phone collections, house-to-house solicitations, raffling off donated Bo Bice tickets, speaking engagements, newspaper articles, and selling Southern Living At Home products, we have our funds. However, this club has proved much more than being a vehicle for raising funds and providing a home. From our membership, new leaders are emerging every day and our club gives everyone an opportunity to take on leadership responsibilities.
The diversity of our membership has enabled many different groups to work together and many students needing a place to fit in. I have found their place to fit in through service. We recently received approval to be a qualifying agency for the President&rsquot;s Community Service Award. We have let the entire student body know of the requirements and have challenged each class to strive for 100 hours of service. Most of OUR members have pledged 100+ hours. The week we return back to school, our education chairman and her committee, through a slideshow presentation, will educate every ninth grader about the value and effects of service to individuals, communities, and our entire nation. Most importantly our club has set out to change the face of the teens in Vestavia. We are seen doing positive things and have become good, solid role models for our younger students. Working with our hands helps to empower us in building self esteem, self worth, and helps each of us realize that we are so fortunate—we have the world at our feet!