By 'Loud' Luca Serio '15

My HOBY experience started two days early. I received a call from the junior facilitator at my future table while at a team dinner for an ultimate frisbee team that I wouldn't be able to join at the State Tournament later that Saturday and Sunday. This was initially a really conflicting decision for me, but I can honestly say attending the seminar is worth missing anything. What you might miss back home may feel amazing at the time, but being with such a fantastic group of people and having some of the most intellectual discussions I've ever had will stay with me for far longer than anything else I could have been doing.

The caller introduced herself as Emily and told me something that stuck with me throughout the whole weekend and beyond. "If we ask you to do something, go with it,” she said. “Don't be afraid to make a fool of yourself."

With this in mind, I rolled up to the University of Maine in Farmington anticipating awkwardness and hesitation among the students, and even though I was initially correct, by lunch time we caught on with some of the cheers. After our second speaker, Dr. Foster, my peers and I were able to effectively reassure her that she was O-U-T-S-T-A-N-D-I-N-G.

The constant cheering brought us together in a way that I couldn't have foreseen. When some of us weren't trying all that hard, the enthusiasm and effect was notably less, but when we were all wholeheartedly clapping our hands and testing our voices, we shook rooms and flexed out windows. A fellow ambassador, Erin, brought her own cheer to the seminar, I guess you could say that this blew my mind in that it was one of the broadest examples of making the HOBY experience unique and personal. This cheer will certainly appear at more HOBY seminars than she might, and to have the sort of impact - contributing to, altering, and improviving such an ingrained part of the program (cheering) - is amazing to see. Personally, I helped lead in what I hope will become the first annual HOBY cinnamon roll.

At school, each student is directed and instructed what to study and fill their heads with. But when you step into HOBY Central, you are the captain of your own ship. What you take away from the weekend and back to school is up to you and only you. So as someone who told one of my friends the summer before, "I fear nothing more than public humiliation," being told to “go with it,” was beyond scary for me. What if I tripped? What if my voice cracks? What if I forget the words? Very real questions I would ask myself.

But at Saturday lunch, my senior facilitator, Ben, made all of that go away. As I went to take a bite of my roast beef sandwich, I was stopped by two words: “HEY LUCA.” It was at that moment I realized that I was going to have to get down. I was secretly awaiting this moment with a mixture of dread and excitement. Maybe again, I could be the first one to do something. And as the first ambassador to get called out to get down alone, I took my chance and got down like it was a school dance. The applause told me that I had impressed, and the feeling told me that my fear, supposedly my biggest fear, no long was part of my life. If there was one moment that I could relive from the weekend, that may be it. 

Going to HOBY, sitting idly in the back and not talking a lot will change how you see world. But going to HOBY and grabbing each opportunity by the horns will change your life. To anyone needing revival, inspiration, rejuvenation, or even a few friends they're going to have forever, look no further.

We are extremely grateful to Sam's Club in Augusta, ME for becoming a 2015 Outstanding Community Sponsor with a generous donation of $1000!  

Sam's Club facilities are encouraged to support nonprofits or other causes important to their community, provided they fall within one of the Walmart Foundation's focus areas ( Hunger Relief & Healthy Eating, Sustainability, Women's Economic Empowerment or Career Opportunity). Other local areas of focus may include Education and Youth Success.

www.samsclub.com

On behalf of our volunteers, alumni and ambassadors we thank you! 

On Friday, May 30th - 53 slightly nervous and uncertain High School sophomores from across the state of Maine from Fort Kent to Elliot arrived at the Olsen Student Center on the University of Maine Farmington's campus.

For three days these outstanding young leaders worked together with a team of dedicated volunteers to explore leadership and service and learned that they have true potential to make a positive impact on their communities.  Each student actively engaged in learning activities to understand how their values shape who they are as a leader and how understanding their leadership style as well as the styles of others can make them better team members.  Team challenges put their learning to the test!  

Our ambassadors had the opportunity to listen to and interact with several amazing guest speakers throughout the weekend including Attorney General Janet Mills, Rep. Justin Chenette, Jamie Marcus - Director of Admissions UMF, Laura Moorehead - Institute for Civic Leadership, Jeffrey Jordan - MidCoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, Will Nelligan - Analyst at Archer Gray, LLC., Nate Kane - MYAN and Staci Olsen - Girls on the Run.

Brooke DePuy, one of our 2014 alumni shared this about her experience:
"It is a simply life changing experience. All of the ambassadors are there for the same reason that you are, which is a great feeling. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity that no one should pass up! You learn so much about yourself, how to be a leader, and how you can create a ripple effect that could change the world. Everything that goes on at HOBY is so inspiring and it encourages you to really be the best that you can. In the midst of all that, the HOBY experience is also a blast! And you meet so many great people."


Thank you to all our sponsors and dedicated volunteers who made this weekend possible!

Thank you to Walmart in Scarborough, ME for supporting HOBY Maine with a $1000 Community Grant!  

From Walmart's Community page: "Walmart believes in operating globally and giving back locally – creating impact in the neighborhoods where we live and work. Through the Community Grant Program, our associates are proud to support the needs of their communities by providing grants to local organizations."

From all of us at HOBY Maine - thank you Walmart Scarborough for your generous support of our program!  Your donation makes it possible for us to continue growing youth leaders for the future of Maine!  

We are SO excited to welcome Skylar Thorne Kelly to the HOBY Maine 2014 team!  Skylar brings extraordinary talent in telling stories and will be helping us tell our HOBY Maine story through his photos and video.  Working behind the scenes he will capture the outstanding transformations that happen throughout our seminar weekend.  

Skylar is a jack of all trades. Most of his days and weeks vary between photography and video production, but sometimes he dabbles in carpentry, landscaping and heavy equipment operation. He reads lots of science fiction, history and picture books. 

Skylar is looking forward to HOBY because, in his own words: "HOBY represents an opportunity to connect with a younger generation and reflect on their experience of 21st century America. I want to know what challenges young people face today and how they are adapting to excel in their environment."

His favorite leadership quote is from Thomas Jefferson: "In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock."

Please join me in welcoming Skylar to the HOBY Maine team!

Chris Hebert attended HOBY Maine in 2007 as an ambassador from Wells High School. He returned as a Junior Facilitator in 2008 and graduated from Salve Regina in 2013 with a degree in Global Business and Economics. He is currently working as a Contract Specialist at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport, RI.  

When asked why he wanted to return to HOBY, Chris said: "I had an amazing experience when I went to HOBY as an Ambassador and I really want to help others have a great experience."

His favorite quote is: "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

Welcome back Chris!  Excited to have you on Senior Staff!