<p>Can anyone tell me more about this program (Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership)? </p>
<p>Do schools just select any sophomore that they consider a good leader to be an Ambassador, or are you required to apply if you want to be chosen?
Is it really hard/selective?</p>
<p>P.S. This is kind of pathetic, but I have like 1 leadership role and not a very good one at that, but I have a passionate interest in leadership. Would I have a shot if no one else at my school applied?</p>
<p>It's not really hard or selective in my school. all you have to do is write a 75 word personal statement and it looks alright on college apps, I mean it's good but nothing really specia.</p>
<p>Essentially (at least for the MO program) you go to a university (Maryville in STL, MO for us) and have speakers ("panels") talk to you about leadership and the careers (we had panels on education, communication, business, and healthcare). It is REALLY fun, you don't learn any leadership theories or techniques (which would have been nice =D), but they help you understand how best to work with others and how to work on you PMA (positive mental attitude). I would highly recommend it and its only as competitive as your school (at my school I was just given it XD since my school is such a joke).</p>
<p>If you are expecting an extremely challenging, intelligent environment HOBY is not it (right after HOBY I went to MSA, Missouri's Governor School, which was a much more enriching experience), but HOBY is a lot of fun and way better than sitting at home =D</p>
<p>I'm really tired and slightly incoherent atm, but I hope I helped you!</p>
<p>Good luck :)</p>
<p>Thanks. USNAgolden2014, were you given it at your school because you were the only one who applied?</p>
<p>My three children each attended a different hs. </p>
<p>Oldest d was the HOBY ambassador from her school; she didn't apply - she was told she had been selected and if she chose not to go, an alternate was already chosen also. Attended and put HOBY down on all her college applications. Since only one 10th grader per school can be chosen based on purported leadership qualities, it was a nice plus to be able to list it. </p>
<p>At my son's and youngest d's school, students apply and one is chosen. My son did not apply, so I don't know much about how his school handled the process. My youngest d applied at her school as did a fair number of other students; I think the process was fairly competitive. D was not chosen, but I think she was glad she applied. In some ways, it was somewhat similar to applying for college: resume, essay, and - well - applying.</p>
<p>If you want to be chosen, ask your GC how students are chosen at your school. Different schools use different methods. At some, a student like you -- who had leadership potential and wanted to attend -- would be exactly the type of student they'd want to chose.</p>
<p>S, 20, got chosen to represent his school by a fluke. He was a nice kid, active in community service, had leadership potential, but was very shy. When the school learned about HOBY -- literally just weeks before HOBY -- S was the person whom they found who could fit HOBY into his schedule.</p>
<p>S absolutely loved HOBY. It actually is an excellent place for students with good hearts, leadership potential, but who are shy and lack confidence. In fact, his counselor -- a very outgoing guy -- said that HOBY was what helped him blossom into the outgoing guy he had become.</p>
<p>Anyway, S volunteered with HOBY for at least three years, being a junior counselor and, I think, a counselor.</p>
<p>With the confidence he learned from HOBY, by senior year, S was president of a local service organization, and even was named our local teen volunteer of the year due to a project he initiated.</p>
<p>Now a soph in college, he has leadership roles in several organizations, and continues using the lessons he learned from HOBY.</p>