Teens pick up leadership skills at seminar

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was produced during the Journalism Summer Workshop at Seattle University June 19-26.

Fifteen teenagers from across the state got to experience journalism and photojournalism during the program, organized by Tomás Guillen, a Seattle University professor and former Seattle Times investigative reporter. Workshop mentors included Yakima Herald-Republic reporter Adriana Janovich. For more information, visit www.seattleu.edu/jsw.

By TIFFANY XU

FOR THE YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

Students trickled into the dorms, dragging their suitcases while eyeing the hand-painted poster exclaiming, "Welcome Hobsters!"

Eliaz Muñoz of Prosser High School, Kelsi Kjorsvik of Ellensburg High School and Stephen Jo of West Valley High School were among the crowd.

The 16-year-olds recently attended the annual Hugh O'Brian Leadership Conference, or HOBY, a four-day seminar designed to empower high school sophomores who have demonstrated potential in leadership.

This year, 113 students from throughout the state attended the conference at Gonzaga University in Spokane from June 11-14.

After icebreakers, students participated in team-building and other activities, and heard from a variety of guest speakers like Leon Quan. The motivational speaker emphasized the importance of fulfilling one's dreams in a talk titled "You Create the World that You Live In."

In another talk, Stephaine Nobles-Beans, a humanitarian and life-coach, encouraged students to invest time in others.

"Heroes are selfless," she told them.

On day two, students got to apply that message, donating their time at seven Spokane nonprofits. Kjorsvik volunteered at L'Arche Spokane, a Christian community in which people with developmental disabilities are cared for in their homes. Jo sorted apples at Second Harvest Food Bank. Muñoz served a meal to the homeless at the Union Gospel Mission.

"I learned that giving is better than receiving," Muñoz said of participating in the service project.

At lunch, students engaged in a "hunger banquet." The "upper-class" group enjoyed a gourmet meal complete with fancy table settings, while "lower-class" students sat on the floor and ate tortillas and rice with their hands. The experience triggered lively discussions among the students about how to end poverty.

That night, students were again challenged to tackle a tough social issue. They were asked to write down common stereotypes about different races and social groups on "The Wall." At the end of the exercise, they tore it down.

Each night in small groups, students reflected on daily events and shared their thoughts and stories. The discussions were led by HOBY alumni. Lasting friendships and life lessons bring back alumni year after year as volunteers.

"HOBY opened the door and helped me discover that I can do anything I want," said 18-year-old Eric Martin, who has returned twice to volunteer. "The people there are happier than you've ever seen. They're cheering, laughing. They're talking about changing the world."

Brandi Weekes, 26, is also hooked on HOBY.

"HOBY really helps develop the self," said Weekes, noting that she was shy and reserved before she attended the conference in 1999. Now, the Gonzaga graduate is the "HOBY Mama," or chairwoman of HOBY Washington. "Anyone can take something away from it and make it their own."

Within a week of returning home, Kjorsvik was already planning how to bring the "HOBY High" back to Ellensburg.

"I'm going to try to do 'The Wall' at my school," she said. "Hopefully, this will unite us together."

And that's what O'Brian, founder of the nationwide nonprofit, envisioned when he started the program in 1958. That year, he spent nine days with the humanitarian Dr. Albert Schweitzer at his clinic in Africa.

"One of the things the great man said to me is that the most important thing is teaching young students how to think for themselves," said O'Brian, now 86. The actor, best known for his leading role in the 1950s TV show "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp," created the leadership conference in Los Angeles just two weeks after returning from his mission trip.

"My first 15-year-olds are now 66-, 67-years-old," O'Brian said in a recent telephone interview. "I focused on 10th grade ... because at that age there's only two more years in high school before the tough world hits you."

O'Brian's idea gained momentum quickly. By 1982, HOBY seminars were a fixture in all 50 states. Now, nearly 9,000 students attend the seminars each year, joining an alumni base of more than 355,000.

* Tiffany Xu, 16, is a junior at Skyline High School in Issaquah, Wash. She is vice president of her school's Amnesty International club and aspires to major in international relations and work at the United Nations.

• Jobs
  www.yakjobs.com
• Homes
  www.yakhomes.com
• 
• 
  
• Autos
  www.yakwheels.com

• All Special Pubs Yakima Magazine Channels YakJobs.com YakWheels.com YakHomes.com Playdate Yakima Bride Yakima Wheels (Print) Home Buyer's Guide Baby Brag Book Graduates 2009 Summer in the Valley Prep Football 2009 Women in Business Holiday Gift Guide
• Advertisement