HOBY International
http://www.hoby.org

Our Mission:
Our mission is to seek out, recognize and develop leadership potential commencing with high school sophomores.

Our History:
The Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) was founded by Hugh O'Brian in 1958. That year, Mr. O'Brian had the unique opportunity to spend nine inspirational days with the great humanitarian, Dr. Albert Schweitzer at his clinic in Africa. There, Dr. Schweitzer impressed upon him that "the most important thing in education is to teach young people to think for themselves." That thought became the cornerstone for the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership, which Mr. O'Brian founded two weeks after his return to Los Angeles.

Since then, HOBY has carried out its mission "to seek out, recognize and develop leadership potential commencing with high school sophomores, and to encourage and prepare the next generation of civic and corporate leadership for America's future."

HOBY implements its purpose in three ways: by providing interactive opportunities for critical thinking; by promoting democracy and America's incentive system; and by encouraging social responsibility among individuals and participating corporations. There is no cost to the students, parents or high schools involved in HOBY's leadership program foundations for sophomores.

The Seminar:
Each September, the National Association of Secondary School Principals sends nomination materials to all public and private high schools in the United States. Each school selects an outstanding sophomore, based on their leadership potential, and nominates that student to represent their school at the State Seminar held each Spring.

CLEWS (Community Leadership Workshop):
The purpose of a CLEW is to provide high school students with a HOBY-style event that motivates them to lead in their communities through service. CLEWs, through guided discovery, provides an atmosphere that stimulates students to think for themselves and encourages their personal development. It is a low-cost, one-day, method for introducing students to leadership and service.