The Levittown Kiwanis Club, last Thursday, heard from the three HOBY winners from Levittown, who recently attended a leadership conference at Adelphi University.

Mary Orth, of the Levittown Kiwanis Club, explained that HOBY stands for Hugh O'Brien Youth Ambassadors. The Kiwanis Club sponsors a student from each of the three high schools in Levittown, to be among the other future leaders from around New York who attend this annual conference. Orth further explained that Hugh O'Brien believed that the most important thing in education is for young people to think for themselves, programs such as this youth leadership conference held at Adelphi encourage high school students to do just that.

Each of the three Levittown high school students spoke to the club members about their experience at the weekend-long conference and thanked the club for making it possible for them to attend.

Nicole Stubing, the representative from MacArthur High School stated, "I thought the whole HOBY experience was amazing." Though she admits that at first she tried to convince her parents to pick her up early, she ended up having a great time and meeting many new people with whom she intends to keep in touch. "They taught a lot of good lessons you can use later in life," said Stubing of the speakers at the conference. Among the speakers who were at the conference were representatives from Kiwanis and Key Clubs who spoke about volunteering. She added that in addition to the life lessons they learned, a major component of the weekend was the chants and songs they learned, which were stuck in their heads once the weekend was over.

Bill Ardito, the representative from Division Avenue High School, unequivocally stated, "I loved the HOBY experience," noting that he was "really into it the whole time." Ardito explained that the students attended panel discussions which focused on topics such as education, media, volunteering. He said that panelists included past school principals and teachers and past legislators. "It gets your mind going and teaches you how to think," said Ardito of the panel discussions. He noted that rather than the students being told what to think, they got together in groups after the panels and discussed that panel's topic. In addition, Ardito said, "I loved the whole social thing and I met so many people." Besides the educational aspects of the weekend, the high school students also enjoyed a dance one night. "It was intellectual but fun at the same time," said Ardito.

Brian Chase, the student from Island Trees High School selected for this honor, noted that there was not much he could add to Stubin and Ardito's assessment of the weekend but said that he too had fun. Of the panels, Chase stated, "We learned everyday lessons on how to be a be a leader, good colleges, etc."

Each of the students said that they were looking forward to a reunion that the young leaders had planned to get together again in the city.

"This is one of the most important things we sponsor," Orth told fellow Kiwanians of the program.