By Cindy J. Roth
The Lynbrook High School sophomore was one of 388 students from around the world chosen to participate in the Hugh O'Brian Youth World Leadership Congress in the nation's capital last month. HOBY affords high school students finishing their sophomore year of study to gain a unique opportunity for leadership training by meeting in question-and-answer sessions with America's top decision makers.
"At HOBY our primary purpose is to give high school sophomores the opportunity to discover their leadership potential and how to use their potential to become the leaders of tomorrow," said Hugh O'Brian, who founded HOBY in 1958. "The most important thing in education is teaching young people to think for themselves. Our thrust is to teach them how to think, not what to think, and what the thinking process is."
The selection process for the high school students began last September when more than 13,000 public and private high schools selected their outstanding sophomores to attend one of 87 three-day HOBY leadership seminars. After personal interviews and essays, one male and one female student were selected from each site to attend the World Leadership Congress, a six-day international youth summit. The summit was held at the George Washington University in Washington, DC, July 20-26.
"HOBY is the best thing that happened so far in my life," said D'Leo. "I took away self confidence and the idea that I can accomplish anything from the trip. It was only six days but it feels like [all the students are now] blood relatives. If anyone has the chance, everyone should go."
Throughout the six-day summit, students met with and heard several lectures from movers and shakers in the business, government, education and technology fields. The speakers told their stories of how they started out as one person and made a huge impact on the world. The five rules to life -- have a burning desire, set specific goals, take action, action, action, never stop learning and never give up -- set several of these now big shots on the road to success.
"From there on I was hooked," said D'Leo, who keeps the rules written on a piece of paper in his wallet. "It was HOBY is us, HOBY is life. I thought I was in a cult."
The whole concept behind HOBY is open-mindedness and respect for others opinions. Students participating in the summit come from varying backgrounds, but everyone has the same common goals of leadership and peace among peers.
"On International Day all of the international students spoke about their countries," said D'Leo. "Then the two kids from Lebanon and Israel shook hands. It was incredible. That is what the HOBY family is about. We're the student leaders of today and tomorrow."
At the conference, students developed a "Statement on World Leadership," which will be disseminated to world leaders from all countries represented at the summit, U.S. President George W. Bush, the United Nations and other important world bodies.
"HOBY should be a club," said D'Leo. "In school it should have its own office."
As part of the follow-up to the summit, D'Leo is required to perform 50 hours of community service with a focus on leadership within his community and class. Finding time for those 50 hours might be a little difficult for the Lynbrook sophomore whose lists of extra curricular activities include being the class president for two years, a member of the National Honor Society, PeerAIDS, the cross country team, which were named Nassau County Champions this past school year, Athletes helping Athletes, jazz chorus, concert chorus, jazz band, Dixieland band and drama club. This upcoming school year D'Leo will be the school-wide treasurer.
"I need a room in the school with a bed because there is no reason to come home," said the sophomore whose days at school sometimes last from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
And do not forget the time he spends each day returning e-mails from other HOBY participants.
"It takes me 45 minutes to read all my emails," said D'Leo. "I'm going through HOBY withdrawal."
For his community service project, D'Leo plans to set up a non-profit organization tying together his two passions, medicine and theater. He is hopeful he can create a program that will either take sick patients to the theater or bring the theater to them.
"Through HOBY I have the confidence to believe I can make a difference," said D'Leo.
