STATE LEADERSHIP SEMINAR

At HOBY, high school sophomores build their leadership potential through an inspiring three- or four-day Leadership Seminar based on three leadership perspectives: Personal, Group, and Societal. As many as 300 “ambassadors” from high schools across the state or country gather at their local HOBY State Leadership Seminar between April and June to:

  • Experience life on a university campus, where HOBY Leadership Seminars are hosted
  • Interact with local community leaders—from CEOs to business owners to doctors to media experts—through panels, presentations, and group discussions about real-world issues
  • Participate in hands-on activities to explore and exercise leadership on personal and group levels
  • Form diverse relationships with adult professionals, college-age mentors, and high school students from across the state with diverse leadership styles and backgrounds
  • Conduct a community service project to put leadership-for-service skills into action
  • Open opportunities for internships, mentorship programs, and other HOBY Ambassadors Connect benefits

After each seminar, HOBY alumni are challenged to complete 100 hours of community service within the next year as a way to put their passion and newly built leadership skills into action.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

If you’ve still got questions regarding State Leadership Seminars or any of HOBY’s programs, our Chief National Programs Officer, Rose Santini, would be happy to hear from you.

CONTACT Rose

STATE LEADERSHIP SEMINAR REGISTRATION

SCHOOL REGISTRATION

Each spring, 10,000 high school sophomores from across the country join one of HOBY’s 70 State Leadership Seminars to hone their leadership talents and apply them to become effective, ethical leaders in their home, school, workplace, and community. Make sure your school is represented!

SIGN UP

NOMINATE A YOUNG LEADER IN YOUR COMMUNITY

PARENTS & COMMUNITY NOMINATORS

HOBY seeks students who are outstanding communicators, critical thinkers, creative problem solvers, strong decision makers, sensitive to others, have a charismatic personality, have the courage to speak out and challenge, have an interest in community service.

DOWNLOAD COMMUNITY NOMINATION FLYER

Locate your local site on the seminar site list below, click on the Community Nomination button, and complete the form.

State Leadership Seminar Schedule/Dates

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VIEW ALL STATE SEMINARS

STATE LEADERSHIP SEMINAR PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Who Attends
Each year, 10,000+ high school sophomores from more than 2,000 high schools throughout the United States discover and develop their leadership skills and ways to use them to serve their communities and schools at one of 70 HOBY State Leadership Seminars. The majority of participants have been selected through their school or community selection process. That process can vary: Some students may have had to enter an essay contest or give a presentation, while others have been selected by a guidance counselor who saw something unique in that student. Regardless of the route a student takes, someone saw something special in that young person—something they thought HOBY would help grow and nurture.

What Poeple Are Saying:
“The HOBY experience has been nothing but OUTSTANDING! Both of our sons attended South Florida HOBY and WLC, Nicholas in 2015 and Noah in 2018. From the moment we sent Nick to HOBY we had no idea what to expect, but as a family we were going through a tough time with him and honestly, we needed help. Never could I have imagined as a parent that this one program would change my son’s life and open his eyes to his true potential. ”
- Mary Medina, HOBY Parent

What To Expect
Students who attend HOBY State Leadership Seminars:

  • Develop their leadership skills from an individual, group, and community perspective
  • Experience dynamic speakers from around the U.S. and their local communities
  • Participate with peers from diverse multicultural and socioeconomic background
  • Spend a weekend living on a university campus for the first time
  • Identify their personal values and set goals
  • Participate in community service projects
  • Collaborate with other students on team challenges
  • Build a network of other students, volunteers, and leaders outside of their school and local community
  • Discover how they can make a positive impact on their school and local community

What's Next
HOBY Youth Leadership programs serve the unique need of focusing youth energies on positive activities, leading to increased self-efficacy, discovering leadership abilities and the development of new skills. Young people need opportunities to learn about and practice leadership in meaningful ways and starting with individual, group and community leadership development helps launch a student into HOBY’s Pathway to Leadership. A wide array of opportunities are offered that include not only high school students but college students and professional alumni (post-graduation) all over the world. At HOBY, you become part of something bigger.

STATE LEADERSHIP SEMINAR PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

“Two years ago [our school] sent a quiet and reserved sophomore to HOBY. This student was hesitant to go. The parents were wondering how they could help their son develop the communication and leadership skills they knew to be important for his future. Now a senior, this student has accomplished far more than anyone ever imagined. HOBY was the turning point.”

-Jim Lorence, Guidance Counselor, Kenny Lake School, Alaska

Who Attends:
Each year, 10,000+ high school sophomores from more than 2,000 high schools throughout the United States discover and develop their leadership skills and ways to use them to serve their communities and schools at one of 70 HOBY State Leadership Seminars. The majority of participants have been selected through their school or community selection process. That process can vary: Some students may have had to enter an essay contest or give a presentation, while others have been selected by a guidance counselor who saw something unique in that student. Regardless of the route a student takes, someone saw something special in that young person—something they thought HOBY would help grow and nurture.

What People Are Saying:
“The HOBY experience has been nothing but OUTSTANDING! Both of our sons attended South Florida HOBY and WLC, Nicholas in 2015 and Noah in 2018. From the moment we sent Nick to HOBY we had no idea what to expect, but as a family we were going through a tough time with him and honestly, we needed help. Never could I have imagined as a parent that this one program would change my son’s life and open his eyes to his true potential. ”
- Mary Medina, HOBY Parent

What To Expect:
Develop their leadership skills from an individual, group, and community perspective
Experience dynamic speakers from around the U.S. and their local communities
Participate with peers from diverse multicultural and socioeconomic background
Spend a weekend living on a university campus for the first time
Identify their personal values and set goals
Participate in community service projects
Build a network of other students, volunteers, and leaders outside of their school and local community
Discover how they can make a positive impact on their school and local community

What's Next:
HOBY Youth Leadership programs serve the unique need of focusing youth energies on positive activities, leading to increased self-efficacy, discovering leadership abilities and the development of new skills. Young people need opportunities to learn about and practice leadership in meaningful ways and starting with individual, group and community leadership development helps launch a student into HOBY’s Pathway to Leadership. A wide array of opportunities are offered that include not only high school students but college students and professional alumni (post-graduation) all over the world. At HOBY, you become part of something bigger.

  • state_leadership_workshops_white WHO ATTENDS
  • family WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
  • outcomes_1 WHAT TO EXPECT
  • pathway WHAT'S NEXT
Following the guidance of federal, state and local health agencies, the HOBY CA office will be closed for at least the next two weeks. Staff will have access to voice mail and email and will do limited work from home during that time, particularly answering questions from schools, parents, volunteers and Ambassadors. Thank you for understanding and please stay healthy.

HOBY Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update  Learn More

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