HOBY SC ALUMNI FAQ
HOBY ALUMNI NETWORK
Being part of HOBY’s alumni network offers ongoing opportunities for new connections, growth, and leadership development after HOBY’s leadership seminars.
HOBY Ambassadors have the opportunity to:
1. Volunteer at HOBY programs around the world
2. Join a local Alumni Association
3. Participate in HOBY’s Dinner with Friends program and meet other alumni in your community
4. Organize or attend local service projects and reunions
5. Apply for the Academic All-Star Award to wear a HOBY cord at graduation
6. Join HOBY partner service organizations, like the Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity and the Junior Chamber International (JCI) during and after college
7. Apply for other opportunities through partnering organizations and universities
8. Attend one of HOBY’s international tours
ALUMNI FAQ
Q: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE POSITIVE OUTCOMES OF BEING A HOBY ALUMNUS?
A: The following is a summary of what HOBY Alumni have shared:
- Joining the HOBY community. By becoming a HOBY SC alumnus you are able to join thousands who have come back to volunteer for our seminar for our Operations or Junior Facilitator roles. You also will be able to have the opportunity to join our HOBY Core planning team throughout the year, and participate in our engagement virtual “HOBY Hangouts”
- Improved critical thinking skills. By presenting multiple viewpoints on important issues, HOBY encourages participants to evaluate all issues from a critical perspective. Effective leaders make informed decisions.
- Enhanced leadership skills. HOBY’s phase-based curriculum, question-and-answer sessions with community leaders, small group discussions, interactive activities, hands-on service-learning experiences, and opportunities to engage in leadership roles enable participants to better understand leadership and begin to identify their own particular leadership strengths.
- Developing goal-setting skills. All aspects of the HOBY Leadership Seminar are geared to encourage participants to see leadership as a life-goal worth pursuing. At the conclusion of the HOBY Leadership Seminar, participants are encouraged to identify personal goals and commit to achieving one or more within the six months that follow.
- Realizing the importance of leadership. Through HOBY’s Leadership for Service program, participants are challenged to complete 100 hours of volunteer service in our communities and to create service opportunities for others.
Q: WHAT IS LEADERSHIP FOR SERVICE (L4S)?
A: It is a national community service program, which allows Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) Ambassadors to track and measure their commitment to Leadership for Service (L4S). The program is changing their lives and enhancing the quality of life in their communities daily! HOBY ALUMNI participate annually in L4S, which is specifically designed to raise the public’s awareness of young people as a resource for community problem solving, prepare young people to take on meaningful roles in community problem-solving, and develop the capacity of individuals, organizations, and institutions to provide meaningful service and leadership opportunities for youth.
HOBY achieves these goals by challenging each ambassador who attends a local HOBY Leadership Seminar to complete 100 hours of community service. To help them successfully meet that challenge, HOBY has designed innovative website and certification process utilizing state-of-the-art interactive technology.
Q: HOW ARE ALUMNI RECOGNIZED FOR COMPLETING THEIR 100 HOURS ON TIME?
A: Alumni completing 100 hours or more of community service within one year of their program attendance are recognized and rewarded for their service.
You will receive the following awards:
- Certificate of Recognition from HOBY
- Recommendation letter from HOBY’s Executive Director and CEO addressed to College Admissions officer verifying your service hours
- The President’s Volunteer Service Award and congratulatory letters from the President of the United States and the Chair and Honorary Co-Chairs of the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation
Q: I don’t have a username and password to enter my L4S hours, how do I create and account?
A: Please send an email to L4S@HOBY.org with:
- Subject: L4S Log In
- Your full name
- Your full home address and phone number
- Your date of birth
- Your Mother’s Name
- Your Father’s Name
- The full name of your high school
- Year attended HOBY Seminar
- Name and version of your web browser (Ex. Internet Explorer 7.0)
Q: I completed my hours 100 hours. When do I receive my L4S packet, I’m applying to college soon and I want to include the recommendation letter in my materials?
A: We will not certify hours until the July 1st deadline has elapsed. Once we have completed the certification process everyone’s award packets will be mailed out during fall of that same year. Please continue to log your hours in the meantime as you may become eligible for additional accolades.
Q: My contact information is wrong for L4S, how do I fix it?
A: Log into the Leadership for Service site and click on the Personal Information tab and make any corrections to your profile. Please keep in mind this information will be used exactly as entered to address the packet and certificate.
Q: HOW DO I SIGN UP TO BE a Volunteer?
A: Volunteer Applications for the 2023 Leadership Seminar are NOW OPEN! Applications to be on our OPS (under 18 years old) team can be found here, applications to be a Junior Facilitator (ages 18-21) can be found here, and applications to be a Facilitator (ages 21+) can be found here.
Q: HOW CAN I SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT HOBY TO STUDENTS?
A: Download and display our HOBY posters both in letter and poster sizes. You can also send them a copy of our SC HOBY FAQ for Parents, SC HOBY FAQ for Counselors, HOBY Registration Worksheet, and/or our HOBY Informational Brochure!