Dedicated to inspiring young leaders, the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) seminar during the summer was an opportunity for juniors Allison Brooks and Alicia Feyerherm to develop their leadership skills and achieve their highest potential.

The seminar was held from June 1-3 on the Kansas State University campus in Manhattan.

Brooks and Feyerherm were the two students selected from Hays High, among selected students across Kansas. The two had to write a short essay to be accepted into the seminar.

“We listened to different speakers and learned how to be a better leader,” Feyerherm said.

Feyerherm said the most memorable part of the experience was making connections with other students at HOBY.

“Besides Allison, I knew absolutely no one there, and her and I were in different groups,” Feyerherm said. “I got to meet people from all over the state who were in my grade, my same age, and I got to make a lot of connections to bounce ideas off of who have a similar outlook.”

Feyerherm will be returning to HOBY as Junior Staff (J-Staff) members, a counselor position.

“I was selected out of a couple of hundred people to go back next year as a J-Staff member,” Feyerherm said. “I will be doing training for that and then I will be a camp counselor.”

Brooks said the event took her a little out of her comfort zone.

“Going into HOBY, I really didn’t know what to expect,” Brooks said. “Then I got there, and you’re just thrown in with a lot of people you don’t know. It forced me to make new friends and be social.”

The diverse group of speakers had a lot of interesting perspectives, Brooks said.

“I took a lot away from the event,” Brooks said. “It made me want to bring some of it back to our own community.”

20ahillebrand@usd489.com