ABOUT HOBY 

Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership, otherwise known as HOBY, is a national and international program that provides high school sophomores, selected by their schools, the opportunity to participate in unique leadership training, service-learning and motivation-building experiences. HOBY also provides adults with opportunities to make a significant impact on the lives of youth by volunteering. 

Currently, more than 9,000 tenth graders, representing almost as many high schools nationwide, attend HOBY Leadership Seminars each year.  These seminars are run by over 4,000 volunteers with community leaders, business executives, educators, and parents involved in every seminar. Each seminar strives to follow the HOBY motto of teaching students, “how to think, not what to think.”

HOBY MISSION & VISION

MISSION STATEMENT To inspire and develop our global community of youth and volunteers to a life dedicated to leadership, service and innovation.

VISIONTo motivate and empower individuals to make a positive difference within our global society through understanding and action based on effective and compassionate leadership.

ABOUT HOBY PENNSYLVANIA EAST

HOBY Pennsylvania East (Eastern Leadership Seminars, Inc.) was founded in 1985 by a group of Alumni to provide local students with the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership experience. The HOBY PA East organization invites over 200 remarkable students, selected by High Schools from all over Southeastern Pennsylvania to attend a four-day leadership program. 

Over the weekend, the students will participate in leadership development activities as well as provide interactive discussions with community, business, and political leaders, as well as hands-on educational and community service projects. This spring, HOBY PA EAST will be celebrating our 29^th year and holding our annual leadership conference a local University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Thursday, May 29, 2014 to Sunday, June 1, 2014.

WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP

The HOBY National program was founded in 1958 and since then, HOBY and its local seminars continue to be made possible through the generosity of companies, foundations and individuals who care about our collective future. There is minimal cost to the schools we serve, but no costs to students or their families.

All seminars are 100-percent volunteer driven, meaning we have virtually no administrative expenses. The local HOBY Pennsylvania East seminar typically costs our organization approximately $45,000 in programmatic and housing expenses; therefore, any donation is helpful.

Individual and Corporate Sponsorships are used to facilitate the seminar weekend and provide the next group of young leaders with a profound and memorable experience. If interested in becoming a Corporate Sponsor, HOBY Pennsylvania East can provide opportunities for you and your company/colleagues to get more directly involved with the HOBY PA East annual program. Please visit www.hobypaeast.org/SUPPORT.html.

*Corporate Sponsorship recognition in annual conference program books is dependent upon level and date of donation received.

IMPACT

At the close of each annual seminar HOBY challenges all students to complete over 100 hours of Volunteer Leadership Service activities within their own communities. Since each student selected represents one local school and ultimately a different community, we consider each HOBY Pennsylvania East Ambassador a vessel to help drive the HOBY mission across many local communities all over Southeastern Pennsylvania to revitalize each separate area neighborhood and motivate each student to make a difference.

ALUMNI TESTIMONIAL 

by Danielle Clanaman, 2013 HOBY Pennsylvania East Alumna

I am Danielle Clanaman, and I represented Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy at the Pennsylvania East Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Organization (HOBY PA EAST) 2013 annual conference. The HOBY PA East program motivates and inspires young leaders in the Philadelphia area to serve their local and global communities.

Last year, as a sophomore, I was one of two students nominated to be an ambassador for HOBY PA East from my school. I attended the four-day conference at Temple, where I heard personal stories of leadership from those in fields of entrepreneurship, volunteerism, and education.  I participated in team-building activities like HOBY Olympics and volunteered at Cradles to Crayons, a non-profit organization in Conshohocken. 

I did not know what to expect, but it affected the person I grew to become throughout high school. I learned the importance of volunteerism, cooperation, and diversity.  I learned about myself.  I opened myself to meeting new people, who remain some of my closest friends.

This year, I’m returning to HOBY as a volunteer, to help create the same moving experience for the next class of ambassadors. As a volunteer, it is my job to reach out to those in my community to raise money for HOBY PA East. Without the generous donations of those partners, our conference could not be held each year. We could not host alumni events or plan service trips, either.

HOBY Pennsylvania East is a non-profit organization. All donations are tax-deductible.  It is only because of generous support from sponsors like you that students in the Lehigh and Delaware Valleys—especially the inner city—can have the life-changing experiences that they do through the HOBY program. Please consider helping HOBY PA East continue its tradition of inspiring leaders by sponsoring this year’s conference.

I thank you for taking time to read about HOBY PA East. I hope you will consider donating in any capacity that you can.

WHAT WORLD LEADERS ARE SAYING ABOUT HOBY

George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States

“Education plays an essential role in helping students develop into future leaders. The skills and ideas young people acquire will help them make wise decisions in the coming years. Through these seminars, held annually in each of our United States, Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) provides excellent opportunities for students to better understand the workings of democracy and the free enterprise system.”

Colin L. Powell, Former United States Secretary of State

“The mission of America’s Promise is to equip the next generation of Americans with the character and competence they need to be successful adults. Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) is one of our staunch allies in this crusade... HOBY is encouraging each of the thousands of high school sophomores who attend these leadership seminars to volunteer at least a hundred hours a year to a community service project. The HOBY commitment to America’s Promise will produce at least 1,400,000 volunteer service hours a year.”

Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States, and First Lady Nancy Reagan

“The work of HOBY is an important factor in motivating future leaders to become full participants in our democratic process. The challenges we as a people will face in the years ahead will be more intelligently and skillfully addressed because of the investment we now make in our youth… It is the children who give Nancy and me such hope. They truly are saying no to the dangers of drugs and alcohol, and are standing up for what they know is right. HOBY also gives hope – hope for the future of our youth and our nation. Our deep appreciation goes to Hugh for his efforts.”

Hillary Clinton, United States Secretary of State

“By encouraging leadership and educating teenagers about the vast world of opportunities before them, the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) program is making a very important contribution to our nation's future.”

Muhammad Ali, Olympic Gold Medalist and Heavyweight Boxing Champion

“In this world, success comes to those with confidence and faith in themselves. Hugh O’Brian’s youth organization is the GREATEST in developing that confidence in outstanding 10th graders selected annually to represent over 13,500 public and private high schools at one of HOBY’s leadership seminars. What an outstanding role model for our future!”

Please help us spread the world!

• You can use the Indiegogo share tools! *Please note that Indiegogo charges a 6.75% fee for donations received through this service. If we reach our goal, we will get 3.75% back.

For more information about HOBY Pennsylvania East or to make a donation via PayPal directly, please visit www.hobypaeast.org.

On behalf of our current and future leaders, HOBY PA East thanks you for your generosity.

As a 501 c (3) organization, contributions to Eastern Pennsylvania Leadership Seminars, Inc. are tax deductible and in accordance with state and federal regulations no goods or services were exchanged for a donation.  A copy of the official registration and financial information on HOBY Pennsylvania East can be obtained from the Pennsylvania Bureau of Charitable Organizations.