Luke Bogatitus receives Hall High School’s HOBY Award

Sophomore Luke Bogatitus is the 2021-2022 recipient of Hall High School’s HOBY Award. HOBY stands for Hugh O’Brian Youth Association.

Bogatitus will attend state leadership seminars this summer with other HOBY award winners from around the state. HOBY Leadership Seminars are highly interactive programs, following a leadership development curriculum that allows students to discover leadership from a personal, group and socially responsible perspective.

The mission of the Hugh O’Brian Youth Association is to seek, recognize and develop leadership potential commencing with high school sophomores. The expected outcomes of the seminars are for students attending to learn to better think critically; enhance their leadership skills; learn more about democracy, free enterprise and volunteerism; and accept the risks of leadership.

The seminars include motivational speakers and highly interactive panels that focus on service in the community. Bogatitus will have the opportunity to meet more than 120 motivated sophomores just like himself from all across Illinois. Together, they will develop their personal, group and societal leadership skills through various activities and projects, participate in a community service project, and be encouraged to take back what they’ve learned to their own communities. After attending the seminars, HOBY alumni are challenged to complete 100 hours of community service within the next year as a way to put their passion and newly built leadership skills into action.

Bogatitus is the son of Todd and Trisha Bogatitus, of Spring Valley. He has been active in track and cross country, yearbook club and mentoring. Luke volunteers with the Arthritis Foundation during his free time.

Bogatitus was selected for this honor by faculty and peers. The faculty nominates students for this honor. The top names of nominees are then presented to the sophomore class to vote. The faculty and students vote according to the following criteria: outstanding written/oral communication skills, critical and/or creative thinking, creative problem-solving, strong decision-making skills, sensitivity to the needs of others, charismatic personality, courage to speak out for one’s beliefs, courage to challenge authority and community service.

The Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership program began in 1958 inspired by conversations with Dr. Albert Schweitzer. This year’s seminar will be held at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois from June 16, 2022, through June 19, 2022.