Bracey DiGiovanni, James Ragan and Maddie Claire Sauls recently represented Columbia Academy at the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Seminar at Millsaps College in Jackson.
They joined more than 230 high school leaders from the region.
Bracey is the son of Mark and Patty DiGiovanni of Tylertown, James is the son of Jim and Jacqueline Ragan of Columbia and Maddie Claire is the daughter of Jeremy and Stacy Thornhill of Foxworth and the late Robby Sauls of Monticello.
Following a motivational meeting with Dr. Albert Schweitzer during a trip to Africa in 1958, actor Hugh O’Brian was inspired to establish the leadership program.
“One of the things Dr. Schweitzer said to me was that the most important thing in education was to teach young people to think for themselves,” O’Brian, who died in 2016 at age 91, once said. “From that inspiration, and with the support of others who believe in youth and the American dream, I started HOBY to seek out, recognize and develop outstanding leadership potential among our nation’s youth.”
The programs annually provide more than 10,000 local and international high school students the opportunity to participate in leadership training, service learning and motivation-building experiences.
Each spring, select sophomores from public and private high schools convene at one of the 70 state leadership seminars across the country to recognize their leadership talents and apply them to becoming effective and ethical leaders. Student participants (known as HOBY Ambassadors) take part in hands-on activities, meet leaders in their state and explore their own personal leadership skills while learning how to lead others and make a positive impact in their community.
At the end of their seminars, HOBY Ambassadors are challenged to give back by serving at least 100 volunteer hours in their communities.
Pictured Above: Columbia Academy students, from left, Bracey DiGiovanni, Maddie Claire Sauls and James Ragan recently represented Columbia Academy at the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Seminar at Millsaps College. | Photo Submitted
