2009 Alumni Testimonials
“I am (as of three hours ago!) a HOBY 2009 alumni. I can honestly say that HOBY has been one of the best experiences of my life. I have been to many leadership conferences before, but none of them have had the positive impact that HOBY has left on me. I came away from this weekend feeling more empowered and inspired than ever before.”
~Marina 2009, North Reading
“HOBY was so amazing words can't describe what it did for me. We talked a lot about helping others and changing peoples’ lives. However, I think HOBY changed my life, and I truly wanted to thank you for that. Its so hard to explain how meaningful this weekend was for me. I appreciate everything you do to make the seminar possible. I can’t thank you enough for such an amazing weekend, it was inspiring and life changing!”
~Michael 2009, Mansfield
“Over the weekend at HOBY I was given the opportunity to do something I haven't been able to do since I started High School: being myself, being who I am on the inside and acting in the manner that I feel truly reflects my inner-person. The warm, fostering environment you provided for me over the three-day experience nurtured my true soul, not the one established by the precedents I once lived by back home, but allowed me to express myself, speak my mind, and pour my heart into a new mold, one cast by the HOBY experience. The MAHOBY experience showed me something. It showed me what love and laughter existed in the world, and more so, it showed me that such love and laughter already existed in my life, I was just blind to it. …The various speakers further defined the leadership skills I would need in coming days as president of my National Honor Society and as one of the faces of the next generation. The importance of service to my community and to others was reawakened within myself and for the past two days I have been thinking only of how I can begin giving back. But what is it that I'll be giving back? It's passion, its care, its love, all things I only have to give because it was given to me by MA HOBY.”~Brett 2009, Kingston
“All the ambassadors have come back home with more knowledge, enthusiasm, ideas for community service, leadership ability and friends than we ever dreamed of! If only the whole world could be as outstanding as the HOBY conference! Not only did the HOBY seminar teach us how to be leaders, it gave us experience in leadership as well. We were constantly immersed in a positive, open environment, which allowed us to connect in a way I had never imagined. … HOBY opens our eyes to the possibilities of changing the world in ways we believe it should be changed. I know that I and every other ambassador were changed for the better by this experience. I wish I could somehow tell you all the incredible experiences at the HOBY conference! It was one of those things where "you had to be there." … I will never forget my Massachusetts HOBY experience. Its part of me forever, and so are all the friends I've made and all that I learned and all that I want to do. I'm so happy that I will be able to bring back ideas from HOBY for community service work and other plans for the NHS Student Council, which I will be a member of this fall. Have a great summer!”
~Amanda 2009, Natick