<p>Have any parents heard of this leadership program? I saw it mentioned on CC.</p>
<p>All I know about Hugh O’Brien is that he was an actor in the '50 and '60’s.</p>
<p>Is this is meaningful program? </p>
<p>Please, please let me know if you have had any experience with this program.</p>
<p>My d did this program at the end of the 10th grade. One student from each high school participated and they spent the week-end doing community projects and learning leadership skills. She seemed to enjoy it, but that is really all I remember about it.</p>
<p>It is pretty well known in this area (East Coast)–it is sort of the only big school-related honor in our region for sophomores, as opposed to the post-junior-year governor’s school. I agree with naneth–don’t think it is especially meaningful, but seems to have been enjoyable.</p>
<p>My son did the program as a sophomore and after his junior year, both of us volunteered with it. I think it’s a good program.</p>
<p>Since only one soph from a school can attend their regional conferences, getting selected is an honor. There also are some colleges (small, second tier) that give $500 or so annual scholarships to any student who has done HOBY. You can find which college by Googling.</p>
<p>The program teaches students about politics, business, community service and the media. It also has a lot of cheers, games and songs that some people find unbearably corny and others think are lots of fun. I think that the cheers, etc. can be good ways of helping shy or too serious students break out of their shells.</p>
<p>My daughter attended and really enjoyed the experience. She listened to a variety of speakers and was inspired by the vision of these leaders. The motivational aspect is great fun and truly, I didn’t see anyone uncomfortable with doing cheers when I went to pick her up at the end of the weekend. It is indeed an honor to be chosen to attend this leadership conference.</p>
<p>It’s was way out of her comfort zone as the conference she attended was in different state, but it was a valuable weekend. It was also a place where she learned for the first time…that there were many amazing kids throughout the United States. </p>
<p>She was exposed to a very diverse group of high achieving students, listened to motivational speeches by business leaders and came home ready to change the world!</p>