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PROVO — It started as a challenge 15 months ago to eight dozen of Utah’s top high school sophomores as the conclusion of the HOBY (Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership) seminar. It paid off big time as 23 of the students divided nearly $200,000 in scholarships.
Former KSL-TV editorial director and current president of Words, Words, Words, Inc., G. Don Gale, congratulated the recipients in his Saturday awards dinner address at the Marriott Hotel. “At a time when Congress can’t accomplish anything, and when the stock market is in the tank, it’s great to see young people like you from all over the state stepping up and preparing themselves to start taking care of things,” he said.
“I honestly believe that we have some of the best youth anywhere, because they absorbed what they learned and became better because of it,” said David Olpin, HOBY Utah president.
The importance of “being” and “doing” — and not just “learning” — was reiterated by many of the scholarship winners. Mickell Hoyt from Valley High in Orderville, recipient of a two-year scholarship to Utah State University, put it this way: “I learned that I needed to take the initiative to do things. I learned that to make a difference, you need to be the difference.” Hoyt will be his school's student body president next year.
The challenge these scholarship recipients accepted was to put the leadership skills learned at the HOBY seminar into practice during their junior year. Areas of encouraged focus were leadership activities, service projects, academic grades and organizing activities to help students learn the skills they learned through HOBY.
Commenting on his HOBY experience, Cason Acor, Weber State University four-year Presidential Scholarship winner from Springville High, said, “HOBY was a life-changing experience for me. I had my eyes opened while I was there.” Acor was selected to serve as a volunteer junior counselor at the 2011 HOBY seminar where he was able to meet HOBY founder Hugh O’Brian.
Southern Utah University four-year Presidential Scholarship recipient Jessica Tillet gave everyone at the dinner a small stone and explained that the things we do are like pebbles tossed in a pond. The effects radiate in all directions, she explained, meaning that we never know all the ways the things we do affect other people.
How has this challenge affected others? How far have the ripples spread?
Erica Olpin, four-year Presidential Scholarship winner to SUU from Weber High, related, “This past year, I got to go to Fiji to teach English. I don’t think I would have gone without HOBY helping me gain the skills and confidence to do something like this.”
Speaking of her work as a counselor at a muscular dystrophy camp, Michelle Rosqvist, four-year USU Presidential Scholarship recipient from Woods Cross High, said, “I would not have had the courage to do that without the confidence I gained at HOBY.”
Courtney Bosshardt of North Sevier High, recipient of a one-year scholarship to Dixie State College, gathered dresses for women in Africa for her project.
Lehi High student Daysa Oswald, recipient of a one-year scholarship to Dixie, is working on a project with four other schools to raise $15K to build a school in Africa.
Makel Webb, one-year University of Utah scholarship recipient from Weber High, worked with a friend to hold a 5K fundraiser race that brought in $10,000 for the family of a child with brain cancer.
One-year U of U scholarship recipient Taran White, of Carbon High, worked with friends to put together a prom for a local special-needs school. Besides providing dresses, tuxes, decorations, etc., Taran and friends attended the prom and danced with the students.
“HOBY is more than an educational conference,” explained Olympus High student Andrea Compos, recipient of a four-year scholarship to Westminster College. “It taught us that we have all the tools we need for success; we just need to use them properly. After leaving HOBY, I set out with confidence. HOBY didn’t make me taller or get rid of my acne, but it did give me confidence.” Compos concluded with a phrase echoed by many HOBY alumni, “HOBY changed my life.”
Other scholarship winners include: Kyle Andrews, Provo High, one-year scholarship to Utah Valley University; Russell Babb, Utah County Academy of Science, two-year scholarship to USU; Alex Christensen, Escalante High, two-year scholarship to USU; Mitch Condie, Millard High, two-year scholarship to USU; Katelyn Holmes, Enterprise High, one-year scholarship to Dixie; Lonnie Krause, Wayne High, one-year scholarship to the U of U; Andrea Miller, Payson High, two-year scholarship to USU; Natalia Jasmin Moyano, Payson High, four-year Presidential Scholarship to Weber; Katie Nielson, Dugway High, two-year scholarship to USU; Michael Peters, West Jordan High, two-year scholarship to USU; and Emily Sheffield, Ogden High, four-year Presidential Scholarship to Weber.
Reed volunteers as HOBY Utah's public relations director and has two children who are HOBY alumni. High School sophomores interested in becoming involved in HOBY should contact their high school counselors or visit www.hobyutah.org.
