HOBY WLC - Kylie Woolley

HOBY WLC - Los Angeles, CA 

UCLA Campus

 

HOBY WLC -UCLA

Utah Representatives

HOBY World Leadership Congress... where to start!! Amazing. Incredible. Friendships. Life-changing. 500 students from around the world, all brought together for one reason: a desire to change the world. The feeling of being surrounded by so many incredible people is unexplainable!! There was a unique and wonderful feeling there that I have never experienced anywhere else. I could honestly write pages and pages about those 7 days that I spent with the most amazing people in the world… but really, my WLC experience can be summed up in one statement made by our HOBY Mama, Kara Belew:  "You will not fit back in the package you came in." I believe this to be 100% true for every single person who participated in the WLC.  After an experience like that, you don't go home the same person. You go home empowered to make a change in the world, and with the tools to do so.

WLC gave me a new perspective of service. Although we don't always realize it, that's what leadership is: service. Being a leader is about making a difference in people's lives. There are so many people who are in need; and really, what is it to us to reach out a helping hand? To give a little of our time, money, or even just our friendship.

Through WLC, my mind was opened to so many new ideas and cultures. The people I met there came from so many different aspects of life, which opened my eyes to so many diverse ideas and opinions. I learned the importance of an open mind. We must have our beliefs and opinions, yet it is essential to be open to new ideas and eager to change. This is definitely a key factor of being a good leader. It was also an amazing experience to become close friends with so many different people from around the world. Although we all came from different backgrounds and cultures, it was incredible to discover how alike we all were. I loved spending time with these awesome people, sharing thoughts and ideas and creating life-long friendships.  
We can change the world. The people I met at WLC are all working towards this, and through this conference we were all further empowered to make a difference. They are the leaders of our future. WLC helped me find things that I am passionate about and turn them into leadership aspects that can make at least some small difference in our world, and improve people’s lives. I know that I definitely did NOT fit back in the package I arrived at LA in. HOBY expanded my horizons and enabled me to set goals that I now have to tools to achieve! There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of this incredible experience and try to apply it to my life. I am so grateful for HOBY, and the leader it has made me.

 

 

 

Payson/Spanish Fork Area CLeW

Panel

Keynote Speaker

Group Time

On November 13, 2010, fifty-four freshman filed on BYU campus to attend the Spanishfork/Payson Area CLeW.  With “Becoming your Best Self: And Passing it on Through Leadership” as its theme, the workshop provided a positive learning atmosphere for all in attendance. “Everyone was happy. We were all friends even though we hadn’t really met each other before then,” said freshman participant Damaris Ballamis. Similar to the HOBY seminar, the time there was packed with speakers and exercises designed to get the teens thinking.  Activities for the day included a panel of successful citizens in the community; key note speaker, Matt Hinton; a service project for Africa Is Life Changing and leadership and team building activities. “I really enjoyed the games because they really helped us to know if we could work together, and they tested us,” said Ballamis.

    After three months of planning activities, scheduling speakers, and securing donors, the CLeW was a huge success. “I was beyond proud of how it turned out…everyone had responsibilities. Our CLeW was legit!” said committee member Cason Acor.  The CleW was completely run by six HOBY alumni who are juniors in Nebo School District. The “CLeW Committee” consisted of Audrey Miller, Lisie Dixon, Cason Acor, Alex Minson, Jazmin Moyano and Matt Russell. Besides the committee, 13 other volunteers were also involved. “Working on the Clew definitely paid off because I had the opportunity work with such cool people. The six kids that I worked with were super helpful and willing to work hard at everything,” said committee member Alex Minson. After a fun-filled day of learning, attendies and volunteers alike took the HOBY spirit back home,  and like all who have been through the HOBY program were ready to pass it on. 


By Audrey Miller

HOBY Spotlight - Karrie Lutz

Karrie Lutz

Karrie (Johansen) Lutz
Schools: Emery High School, College of Eastern Utah, Brigham Young University
HOBY Alumni Year: 2003
Graduation Year: High School 2005, BS 2008

How did you find out about HOBY?
In my English class all sophomores were invited to write an essay describing why they should be the one selected to attend HOBY.

What HOBY has done for you?
HOBY was a lot of fun. I remember meeting a lot of great people. I love learning about leadership and how to be a better leader and this conference did just that. There were great speakers who challenged us, and really made us think about our future. I remember one of the guest speakers talking to us about Michael Jordan. He gave us a few statistics about the amount of money Jordan makes. I wrote some of them down, and still have my notes! He will make over $300,000 a game, $10,000 a minute assuming he averages about 30 minutes a game. Assuming $40 mil in endorsements next year, he'll be making $178,100 a day (working or not)! Assuming he sleeps 7 hours a night, he makes $52,000 every night. If he goes to see Independence Day, it'll cost him $7.00, but he'll make $18,550 while he's there. If he decides to have a 5 minute egg, he'll make $618 while boiling it.  I knew that I would not have to worry about making $10,000 a minute, but it really inspired me want to find something I loved to do and be great at it.

What have you been up to since?
Law school, working for Adobe, and I got married!

What is your advice to incoming sophomores and future HOBY ambassadors?
Get out of your comfort zone. I am a twin, and Kristine and I had never been apart until I attended HOBY. The first day I was a little shy and kind of nervous, but I got out of my comfort zone and started to get to know other people and it was great. Share your ideas. There is a lot of great information given to you there so write it down and use it!  Be open to new ideas and other people.

Wedding

NYC

BYU Graduation

NYC

HOBY Spotlight - Metta Semrad

Metta Semrad

Metta Semrad

Senior at Utah Valley University

Will graduate in 2011 and graduated high school in 2007

I went to HOBY in 2005

My school just sent me to HOBY I had never heard of it.

HOBY has done so much and continues to.  Each year I attend HOBY I learn new and more effective ways of leading. My first year at HOBY I was a fairly sheltered child and it helped me learn to accept everyone and not be afraid to stand up for myself and others. The HOBY experience is a once and a lifetime one. You will never have so many successful leaders and business minds in one room again with their attention completely devoted to you! 

I currently am in my senior year at UVU where I am studying community health with an emphasis in physical fitness, and I minored in Spanish. I have been married for just over a year to my Husband Clair and love it. I am a store manager for Justice, a children’s clothing store. MY favorite activities include dancing.   It is my passion and my love (besides my husband of course) I teach ballet at the Timpanogos School of dance and I love to run! I also LOVE television. I cannot live without biggest loser, project runway and my guilty pleasure of Grey’s Anatomy.

From HOBY my friends are the ones that have stuck with me the longest! They are some of my best friends and I LOOOOVE THEM! 

Advice to new people in the program.. Enjoy it. Open your minds and let the love in because it only lasts for 3 days! Like I said earlier, you will never have the opportunity again to have so many business minds in one room. Ask them EVERYTHING you want to know! Do not be afraid to learn about other religions, and most of all be OUTSTANDING!

Spotlight - Houston Lui

Houston Lui

Schools:  Carbon High School, Seattle Pacific University

HOBY Alumni Year: 2004

Graduation Year: High School 2006, BA 2010

How did I find out about HOBY?

My high school counselor asked me if I would be interested in being the first individual to go to the HOBY conference from my school.  I was honored and joyfully accepted.

What has HOBY done for you?

Not only has it brought friendships, but it brought a perspective of what the real world is like.  The panels opened my eyes to differences in the world; whether it is differences in jobs, or differences in religion.  HOBY taught me to think about everyday life in a global perspective.  Though we will all choose different paths in our lives, it is always good to take others into consideration and not be close minded to those around us.

What have I been up to since?

I actually returned to HOBY the following year as a team leader and had the best time ever!!! I then finished high school (Student Body President) and moved out to Seattle for college.  I graduated last year from Seattle Pacific University with a BA in Biology and a minor in Chemistry.  Through my college years, I was able to be president of my residence hall and then a Resident Advisor the following year in a different dorm.  I am currently a 5^th grade math and science teaching assistant in a private elementary school.  I am also studying for the MCAT, and planning on applying to medical school this year. 

Recently, I was able to go to Rwanda and learn about forgiveness and reconciliation.  For those of you who don’t know, Rwanda had a mass genocide in 1994 and over 1 million people were killed over a course of 100 days.  My team and I were able to go participate in reconciliation workshops, help build houses, and just hear personal accounts of what happened to people during the genocide.  Rwanda is a beacon of light in this bleak world; people are forgiving others for killing their family and friends, while becoming friends themselves.  It amazes me how easily we hold grudges towards one another for the smallest of things.  The people of Rwanda are showing TRUE forgiveness and are a model of what the world needs most.  This trip was broadened my scope of the global perspective, and I look forward to going back in the near future.

What was your favorite part about HOBY or has stuck with you the most?

I would have to say the friendships and the global perspective that I have obtained.  There are not many places where you can go meet dozens of new people from different walks of life for a single weekend.  There is a connection that is made and a bond that tends to last.  I still keep in touch with some of the people from HOBY, and it is always great to reminisce about the great times we had.  Besides the friendships, I was able to see that I could be anything that I wanted to be.  Though life short, we can achieve our highest goals and truly make an impact in the world.

What is your advice to incoming sophomores and future HOBY ambassadors? 

I would say to make the most of the opportunity that you are given.  The weekend will be a time of great fun and learning, but don’t just take it with a grain of salt.  Reflect upon your panels, group discussions and time together.  Make an effort to take as much out of the weekend as possible; I know that you all will be happy that you did.  Also, maintain the relationships that you acquire at HOBY.  Who knows what kind of blessing they can be in your life.  For me, this conference was a stepping stone into something greater; a step towards a greater purpose.  

Resident Advisor

High School Graduation

Rawanda

 

 

 

College Graduation

Junior Staff Updates

Calling all 2010 HOBY Alumni!

HOBY Utah is making some changes to our seminar.  First thing is we are doing away with some of the terms we use. The important one for you to know is will no longer be referring to councilors and junior councilors as such.  Instead councilors are going to be facilitators and junior councilors are going to be called junior staff or more affectionately knows as J-staff.  You will now be applying to come back as J-staff.  Also, the CLEW is no longer going to be required to be one of the junior staff.  (If you are already planning one please keep doing it!) 

The roles and responsibilities the J-staff will be mostly the same as they were with a few minor modifications.  We are adding some responsibilities in order for j-staff to be more involved.  We are now requiring junior staff to fund raise $200 dollars to help pay for your expenses for being at the conference and to help our program be better.  This can be donated by you or you can get a sponsor to help fund raise.  I know this seems like a lot but we really do need your help with fund raising.  I think those are the big changes you need to know about for now. 

Now, on to other important facts.  HOBY is going to be the second weekend of May.  It will be Wednesday night through Saturday late afternoon.  The days I BELIEVE are May 11-14.  Without a doubt you will be scheduled to take AP tests, go to region/state track, and various other events like these.  In order to come to HOBY as a junior staff you will need to reschedule those tests.  The reason we are not allowing anyone to come that will have to miss the conference is because it isn't fair to those who can attend the full conference.  You don't get the best experience, the ambassadors don't get the best experience and it is hard on everyone there.  Also, we will be having a few trainings between December and May.  You will need to attend these training meetings to the best of your ability.  If there is a problem like a test you have to take that day let me know.  We may be able to change some stuff up.  If you feel like you can handle these responsibilities and want to come back to HOBY as Junior Staff let me know!  I will be sending applications to all who respond to this email.  Applications will be send out on October 9th so if you don't respond by then you won't be getting an application.  If you have any questions let Jackie Rogers know!  Thanks!

HOBY Spotlight - Mitchell Bassett

Mitchell Bassett

Schools: Lone Peak HS, Utah State University, Duke School of Medicine
HOBY Alumni Year: 2001
Graduation Year: High School 2003, BS 2009

How did you find out about HOBY?
My high school counselor.

What HOBY has done for you? 

HOBY opened my eyes to all of the opportunities for young people to get involved in their school and community.   I met some of our state's and nation's most powerful leaders who inspired me to follow my dreams.  I was motivated by all of the service and leadership projects by current and former ambassadors. HOBY didnt teach me what to think, but HOW to think.  I can honestly say that HOBY was the most defining turning point in my life.  It transformed a shy high school sophomore who was trying to change himself to a dreamer who is still trying to change the world.  

What have you been up to since?   

 I was an ambassador at Utah State University, epigenetic researcher, political activist, and a 4-year collegiate cheerleader.  I am now a second year medical student at Duke University.

What was your favorite part about HOBY or has stuck with you the most? 

The friends I made nearly 10 years ago at HOBY are still some of my closest friends today.

What is your advice to incoming sophomores and future HOBY ambassadors?  

Soak it all in.  Take good notes and get out of your comfort zone.  Find a way to make a difference in your community.

Mitchell and Maile

Utah State Cheerleader

Duke Medical School