Released on = April 19, 2006, 7:11 pm

Press Release Author = HOBY Utah

Industry = Non Profit

Press Release Summary = The Utah chapter of the Hugh O'Brian Youth (HOBY) Leadership
Program will hold its
annual three-day conference from May 11-13 at Aspen Grove. Each year, every high
school throughout the state is invited to select one or two outstanding sophomore
students to attend the leadership conference to further develop their leadership and
service skills through panel discussions, activities, and interaction with
like-minded students. The event is sponsored by various universities and colleges
throughout the state as well as
major corporations and service groups.

Press Release Body = The Utah chapter of the Hugh O'Brian Youth (HOBY) Leadership
Program will hold its annual three-day conference from May 11-13 at Aspen Grove.
Each year, every high school throughout the state is invited to select one or two
outstanding sophomore students to attend the leadership conference to further
develop their leadership and service skills through panel discussions, activities,
and interaction with like-minded students. The event is sponsored by various
universities and colleges throughout the state as well as major corporations and
service groups.

The main event at the conference is a series of panels about democracy, free
enterprise, leadership, service, diversity, and education. Former panelists include
Provo Mayor Lewis Billings, Lieutenant Governor Gary Herbert, BYU Emeriti
Association honoree David L. Olpin, United Way of Utah County President Bill
Hulterstrom, Former Ambassador Gregory Newell, representatives of universities and
colleges throughout Utah, representatives of the news media, as well as
representatives of various religions and cultures.
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.

Each year after the conference, HOBY Utah awards thousands of dollars in
scholarships to students who exemplify the HOBY standards by making a difference in
the community and lives of those around them.

Former ambassador (school representative) Brooke Wilde of South Summit High School
said the following about HOBY: \"As a HOBY Ambassador, I learned many things that
have been useful in the application of service to my school and community. I have
been able to organize/help organize many activities due to the leadership I gained
at HOBY. I learned how to find projects that were needed by the community or group
involved, how to go about getting people actively involved, and how to raise support
for the cause. Through doing various service projects for various
groups/organizations, I gained a greater deal of love and concern for my fellow man
and an indescribable urge to do service all the time. Through talking with friends
and peers, I\'ve found that they feel the same way. It\'s an exhilaration! There\'s
just not an appropriate way to describe how you feel without underplaying such an
awesome feeling. It was amazing to see the gratitude they showed (in actual \"service
projects\") and how much younger kids truly do look up to you (in volunteer speaking,
etc), and feel that special feeling you get inside when you know you\'ve made a
difference, whether it be to a great number of people or to a single individual.\"

For more information on this event, you can also call me at (801) 376-6286 or e-mail
me at tim@hobyutah.org. If you would like to cover the event as it progresses, I
would be happy to accommodate you in any way possible. Aspen Grove is only a short
drive from Salt Lake or Provo. More information is also available at
www.hobyutah.org.

Web Site = http://www.hobyutah.org

Contact Details = Tim Chandler
tim@hobyutah.org
801.376.6286