Getting Ready
Once you are registered to attend a HOBY program, get ready for an amazing adventure. You’re going to experience an enthusiastic learning environment like no other you’ve ever seen before. You’re going to learn a lot; you’re going to laugh a lot; you’re going to meet many dynamic and exciting people; and you’re going to make a lot of new friends along the way.
But how much you get out of your HOBY experience depends entirely on you. We challenge you to be open and willing to step outside the box and embrace the experience that’s being offered to you. Here are some typical student questions and answers to help you prepare for your HOBY experience.
When and where will the programs be held?
- The Community Leadership Workshop (CLeW) is a one-day program that can take place at any time during the year. High schools are invited directly by the planning committees to select freshmen students to attend. The number of schools and students invited to participate in a given CLeW is determined by the committee. Contact your local committee.
- Over 70 HOBY Leadership Seminars take place each year throughout the country from March through June. Learn more about the calendar of the upcoming dates and locations. The Leadership Seminars are 3- or 4-days long and you must be present for the entire seminar, including overnight (lodging is provided).
- The World Leadership Congress (WLC) is held every summer in Washington, D.C. This is a week-long program and you must be present for the entire WLC, including overnight (lodging is provided). Learn more on the details of the upcoming WLC.
What is the cost to attend and how do I register?
Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from all HOBY events.
- There is no fee to attend a Community Leadership Workshop (CLeW). If you are currently a high school freshman, ask your school counselor or principal if your school has been invited to participate in a CLeW taking place in your local community this year.
- The registration fee for a HOBY Leadership Seminar is $150 for one student. For additional students attending, there may be an additional fee. Each September, all high schools in the U.S. are invited to register sophomores to attend. Ask your school counselor or principal what the selection process is for your school.
- The program fee for the World Leadership Congress (WLC) is $1500 per person which includes all meals, lodging, ground transportation, and venue entrance during the WLC. The program fee does not cover the cost of transportation from your home to/from the WLC. If you are an oversees student age 15-17, or currently studying in the U.S., please contact Javier LaFianza at lafianzaj@hoby.org for details.
What should I expect when I get there?
Whether you are attending a CLeW, Leadership Seminar or the WLC, you can expect:
- To be exposed to important ideas, including opinions that may differ from your own
- To interact one-on-one with decision makers in education, government, business and other professions
- To jump in and discover more about issues impacting you and your community
- To be challenged to be a person who succeeds in making a difference to improve your community
- To be challenged to commit to 100 hours of volunteer service in the next year to help make your community stronger, any way you believe you can
- To make new friends who are also committed to making a positive difference in this world
- To get less sleep than you’d like
- And to have more fun than you ever expected!
Also, you should NOT expect to be told what to think or to coast, cruise, or let others do the work. From the moment you attend a HOBY program, you will be treated like a leader and encouraged to think critically about a wide range of issues that impact your life and the world.
What are the accommodations like?
Depending on the location of the Leadership Seminar or WLC, participants will be assigned to either hotel or dorm rooms on floors reserved exclusively for HOBY. A few weeks prior to the event, your planning committee will provide instructions on what you need to bring. Since CLeWs are one-day programs, lodging is not provided. Participants of all HOBY programs will receive nutritious meals and have an opportunity to inform us of any special dietary considerations prior to the event.
What if I am registered and then unable to attend?
If circumstances arise that prevent you from attending the entire program you are registered for (including overnight for the Leadership Seminars and WLC), we would like to give another student from your school the opportunity to attend. Please immediately go to the high school counselor or principal who registered you and inform him/her of your situation. For the Leadership Seminar, please also contact the chairperson for your seminar; and for the WLC, please also contact elgrablyn@hoby.org. Please follow up without delay because a cancellation fee may apply.
What happens after I am registered?
Once you have been registered for a HOBY program, you will receive more detailed information about what to bring and what to expect. The planning committee will send this information to you approximately 6 weeks before the event – the information may come via US mail or via e-mail, so be sure to watch for it. Make sure to mark the program dates on your calendar and get ready for a memorable experience!