LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS

Several leadership opportunities are available to CFB students throughout the school year.  Announcements are made at Newman Smith about each of these programs and counselors encourage students to apply for each program.  However, if your counselor knows that you have an interest in a specific   program or a general interest in leadership opportunities, then it is more likely that you will be contacted about participation in such activities.   Times for application are approximate.  If you are interested in applying, be sure to see your counselor and make her aware of your interest so you may be provided with the information in time to meet deadlines for application.

BOYS STATE

This program is sponsored by the American Legion and is designed to offer youth a better perspective of the practical operation of government.  It also emphasizes the need for each individual to be an integral part of the governmental process in order to insure the character and success of our government.

Young men chosen to be Boys State citizens can look forward to a challenging experience, acquiring a better understanding and deeper regard for our nation’s legacy of freedom and democracy.  Boys State citizens meet for one week during the summer on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin and form a mock Congress.  Emphasis will be placed on understanding the governmental process through passage of legislation during the mock Congress activity as well as on developing leadership skills.

To be eligible for Boys State, a student must be male and must be completing his junior year of high school.  Student’s must be nominated by a school official and will be selected to participate by the sponsoring American Legion post.  All expenses for the Boys State program are paid for the by sponsoring post.  Only one student per school will be selected by the post. Typically, nominations to Boys State are made in April of each year.

For additional information, check:  http://www.txlegionbstate.org

GIRLS STATE

Girls State is a program very much like Boys State and is sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary.  Nominees must be female and must be completing their junior year of high school.  Nominations are typically made in the late fall of each school year.  Auxiliary organizations will select only one student per school.

For additional information, check:  http://www.legionaux.org/programs/docs/gstate/fstate.html

HOBY (HUGH O’BRIAN YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM)

HOBY is an international program that hosts one outstanding sophomore student from each high school throughout the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel, and Mexico.  These students meet for a leadership training seminar designed to seek out, recognize and develop leadership potential among today’s youth.  A school may nominate only one student to participate in the HOBY program. 

The leadership seminar is typically held in Austin for one week during June.  The cost of the participation in the HOBY program is usually paid for by a local civic organization.  However, just recently a $150 application fee was instituted by the HOBY organization.  The student selected for nomination may be responsible for this fee.  Nominations for the HOBY program are usually accepted in October of each school year.

For additional information, check:

http://www.hoby.org/students/ls.htm

CAMP RYLA

Camp RYLA is a leadership training program sponsored by Rotary International.  Camp RYLA provides leaders of tomorrow with a forum for teamwork, communication, and consensus building in an environment that challenges personal and team responsibilities.  This week long leadership skills summer camp provides student leaders with opportunities to expand and hone their leadership skills through cabin activities, athletic events, educational workshops, and team building exercises.  RYLA campers are high school juniors who have excelled in one of more areas of high school involvement and have proven leadership potential. 

Expenses for Camp RYLA participation are paid for by a local Rotary organization.  Students must submit applications and be interviewed for selection to the program.  Typically, application and interviews occur in early April of each year. 

For more information, check: http://www.rotary5810.org/ryla

CAMP GRADY SPRUCE

Camp Grady Spruce is a summer leadership training program sponsored by the YMCA and offers teens the unique opportunity to develop into tomorrow’s leaders within their communities, families, schools, churches and peer groups.  It is a week long program built around the “Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens” and the YMCA character values of trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship.  The program is held at Camp Grady Spruce on Possum Kingdom Lake in North Central Texas.  The program is fully funded by the YMCA and is at no cost to the student.

Each school may submit two nominees—one male and one female from the freshman class.  In addition, two alternates are submitted as well and are sometimes also selected to attend.  Nominations are solicited in March of each year. 

YOUTH LEADERSHIP METROCREST

YLM is a leadership development and educational experience for sophomore and junior level high school students.  The purpose of the program is to enhance the abilities, awareness and special talents of promising young leaders.  The program offers an orientation “retreat” which involves a ROPES training program and five one-day sessions during the school year that focus on different topics which affect our community.  In addition, each YLM class selects and executes a community service project during the school year.  These absences from school are counted as school-related and, therefore, do not affect the student’s total number of absences from classes. 

YLM is sponsored by the Metrocrest Chamber of Commerce.  There is a cost of $150 for the program but some scholarship assistance is available.  Applications for participation are accepted in late March and early April of each year. Schools may have several students selected to each year’s program. Additional information about YLM may be obtained by contacting the Metrocrest Chamber of Commerce.