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