About Us

Virginia held its first seminar in the spring of 1977 in Richmond, Virginia with 65 schools represented. Today, we have over 100 schools represented each year. Since our start, HOBY Virginia has reached over 8,500 sophomores from throughout the Commonwealth, many who continue to give back to the organization today.

In 1985, volunteers with the HOBY Virginia Seminar established Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership – Virginia Leadership Seminar, Inc. (HOBY Virginia), a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization governed by a Board of Directors of prominent business leaders, educators, former HOBY Virginia Ambassadors, and members of various cooperating organizations.

As an affiliate of HOBY International, Virginia Leadership Seminar, Inc. provides the following programs around the commonwealth:

  • Annual Virginia Leadership Seminar
  • HOBY Virginia Alumni Association
  • Community Leadership Education Workshops (CLeWs)

Registration

Each September, nomination materials are sent to all public and private high schools in Virginia. Each school is given the opportunity to select an outstanding sophomore based on his or her leadership potential. That sophomore represents his or her high school at the HOBY Virginia Leadership Seminar the following spring.

The registration fee per Ambassador for the 2025 HOBY Virginia Seminar is as follows:

$275 – Early bird registration fee from September 23rd, 2024 – December 13th, 2024.
$325 – Registration fee from December 13th, 2024 – April 11th, 2025, when registration will close.

HOBY is particularly concerned that the seminar not be an expense to the sophomores or their families, so that students from all economic and social backgrounds have an equal opportunity to attend.

The all-volunteer Virginia committee raises the state seminar expenses for room and board, copies, and program supplies with generous sponsorships from the private sector, service organizations, and individuals. HOBY Virginia actively seeks participation from cooperating organizations, businesses and corporations, individual donations and other foundations through gifts-in-kind, direct financial support, and volunteer opportunities.

Curriculum

All HOBY programs are based on the Social Change Model of Leadership Development. The HOBY Curriculum was updated and adopted in 2009. The Social Change Model promotes a nonhierarchical approach to leadership and leadership development, meaning it is not necessary to have authority, an elected position, or a title in order to participate in a group’s leadership processes. Its major assumption is that leadership is ultimately about change, particularly change that benefits others in our local and global communities.