Two students, Avery Paysinger and Stephaun Deem, recently represented Athens High School at the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Seminar held at Troy University.

“During these three days, we went through 3 cycles of learning about our leadership skills,” said Paysinger.

Deem said, “we started first by learning different abilities that assist and help us learn how we personally use leadership.”

“Next, we discussed how to take these specific skills and work them into groups with various leadership qualities,” said Paysinger. “Lastly, we had a service portion, which was where we learned how to use our leadership to positively influence our community through volunteering.”

The students said they heard speakers such as paralyzed former football player, Timothy Alexander; the current Miss Alabama, Lauren Bradford; and Caitlin Crommett with the Dreamcatchers Foundation.

“These speakers discussed how they utilized leadership in their real life to make an impact in the world,” said Paysinger. “I enjoyed hearing Timothy Alexander and how he persevered in his life to keep going, through the ups and downs that he faced.”

Deem said the speakers were well-informed and inspirational adding, “they all had different experiences, yet they solved it by being better people.”

Paysinger said the students did an activity that displayed the diversity of the 200 attendees. She said it showed “how we can capitalize off of this diversity to make something great.”

“By the end of the seminar, we had made so many connections and had acquired an array of skills to bring back to Athens,” said Paysinger.

Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership was founded in 1958 and has since been an acclaimed youth leadership program.

The program is endorsed by the American Association of School Administrators, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Parents Teachers Association, Council of Chief State School Officers, National School Boards Association and America’s Promise.

“HOBY’s unique youth leadership development programs are designed to prepare youth to become effective, ethical leaders in their home, school, workplace and community,” said HOBY on its website.

The program has educated and motivated more than 375,000 high school students since its inception in 1958.

According to HOBY, some of the positive outcomes of participating in a HOBY program include:

Improved critical thinking skills HOBY encourages students to evaluate issues from a critical perspective by engaging students with multiple viewpoints regarding important issues. HOBY believes effective leaders are those who 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 The HOBY Leadership Seminar is geared to encourage students to see leadership as a life-goal worth pursuing. Participants are encouraged to identify personal goals to commit to achieving within one or more of the six months that follow.

Realizing the importance of leadership

Participants are challenged to complete 100 hours of volunteer service in their communities and to create service opportunities for others through HOBY’s Leadership for Service program.

“This was a great opportunity to meet fellow leaders my age in our great state of Alabama. I hope to use everything I learned and bring it back to our community,” said Paysinger.

Deem added, “not only was this a wonderful event, but I managed to make even more friends and gain more information that I hope to use throughout my life.”

“We are #athensproud that our #eagleleaders had the opportunity to attend this three-day seminar, which focused on leadership, service and innovation,” said ACS in a statement online.