Volunteer Opportunities
There are many ways to make a difference with HOBY Missouri. If you have….
5 minutes
Share a HOBY MO Facebook/Insta post or story
1 hour
Make sure your Missouri high school has nominated their ambassador(s) to attend the seminar
2 hours
Speak to or mentor Ambassadors or young alumni in small group settings
1 day
Participate in a HOBY MO Volunteer day
2 days
Chaperone at the HOBY Young Alumni Lock-In event (held mid-September).
4 days
Volunteer as a Senior Facilitator (21 & older) or a member of the Junior Staff (under 21) at the annual Leadership Seminar. There is no greater way to experience HOBY magic!
April 22 – 26, 2024
5 days to help HOBY MO? You’ve got this!!
What is an Ambassador Recruitment Blitz (ARB)?
It’s the reason we do what we do: the Ambassadors! We want to make sure that we bring as future leaders to the seminar as we can, and an Ambassador Recruitment Blitz is a way to engage HOBY MO volunteers to help recruit them. It’s 5 days long, and we ask everyone who participates to simply DO ONE THING EACH DAY FOR HOBY. Just one thing a day? We can all manage that!
What would I be doing during the ARB?
We have LOTS of ideas! Here is a list of just a few things you could do to fill five days. We’ve created graphics, developed tools, written scripts & captions – we’re determined to make this as easy as possible for you to help HOBY! You can pick and choose based on what you’re comfortable with and most excited about – or come up with your own ideas!
Whatever you choose to do – be sure that there is a clear “next step” for your audience: anyone (school contacts, parents, community organizations) looking to nominate a high school sophomore to attend can find all of the information they need at hobymo.org/missouri-seminar. They can also submit a “Contact Us” form at the bottom of any page on this website, or sign up for a 15-minute zoom with a member of the HOBY MO team. If you are calling a contact at a specific high school, you can find out if they’ve already nominated a student here.
Share on the Socials Every Day
Post one thing on your social media accounts every day during the blitz. Things to post include:
- Share the HOBY MO Ambassador Recruitment Blitz Facebook event with friends that you think would make a great HOBY volunteer.
- Repost social media posts that you see on HOBY MO’s social media accounts.
- Record a testimonial, reel or broadcast about why you think the HOBY Leadership Seminar is a great experience.
- Post some of these graphics created by HOBY Mo volunteers. You can right-click on the image to save to your device and post on your socials. Feel free to customize the captions however you like!
Caption:The annual HOBY Missouri Youth Leadership Seminar is just a few weeks away, and we have room for a few more Ambassadors to join us. We don’t want to miss sharing this leadership opportunity with any student that is interested! Which is where 🫵 YOU come in! Join me in participating in the Ambassador Recruitment Blitz April 22 – 26, 2024 🗓️ to help us recruit high school sophomores!
❓️ What is an Ambassador Recruitment Blitz (ARB)? ❓️
It’s the reason we do what we do: the Ambassadors! An Ambassador Recruitment Blitz is a way to engage HOBY MO volunteers to help recruit them. It’s 5 days long, and we ask everyone who participates to simply DO ONE THING EACH DAY FOR HOBY. Just one thing a day? We can all manage that!
We have LOTS of ideas! Go to hobymo.org/volunteers or 🔗link in bio to find a list of just a few things you could do to fill five days. #Ambassadors #MakeADifference #HOBYMO #Leaders #Missouri
Caption: I am helping HOBY Missouri to recruit student leaders during their Ambassador Recruitment Blitz from April 22 – 26, 2024! HOBY MO Ambassadors are sophomore students with the potential lead that represent their schools at the HOBY MO Seminar. The annual HOBY Missouri Leadership Seminar is just a few weeks away, and we don’t want to miss sharing this leadership opportunity with any student that is interested! Know someone that could benefit from a weekend of leadership training, educational seminars and tons of FUN! Whether you’re a school, parent, or community member YOU can nominate them. Go to hobymo.org/missouri-seminar/ or 🔗link in bio to nominate a future leader in your school or community! #Ambassadors #MakeADifference #HOBYMO #Leaders #Missouri
Make Sure YOUR School is Registered!
Check to see if your school is currently registered at this link. Don’t see your school? Reach out to a guidance counselor, principal or teacher to encourage them to sign up (feel free to use one of our email or voice message templates!)!
Send Some Texts
Text 2-3 of your friends, family friends, parent friends, etc with an ask to nominate an outstanding high school sophommore.Here is a template you can use!
Feel free to customize it however you like – and don’t forget to update {& DELETE} anything in ITALICS!
Hey XXX! Have you heard of HOBY Missouri? It’s an organization all about inspiring young people to make a difference. I’m involved/familiar with HOBY because of {INSERT WHY YOU KNOW HOBY MO}. Their flagship program is a 3-day leadership seminar for high school sophomores at Webster Univ in St. Louis. This year’s seminar is June 7 – 9 and it sounds like they still have a few slots available – I immediately thought of XXX! Do you think he/she would you be interested in learning more? Tons of info available at www.hobymo.org, or just let me know and I can have someone from HOBY get in touch with you.
Summer Opportunities Fair
Does your high school or community host a Summer Opportunities fair? HOBY MO would love to be there! Fill out the “Contact Us” form at the bottom of this page and let us know the details. We can send you poster and flyers to hand out so you are prepared to stand at your booth!
Send an Email
Email a coworker, friend or family member about nominating a high school sophomore. Or send a message to high school counselors/principals/teachers that you are familiar with. Here is a template you can use!
Feel free to customize it however you like. Just be sure to preserve the formatting when you copy/paste, so as to retain the links – and don’t forget to update {& DELETE} anything in ITALICS!
[INSERT AS SUBJECT LINE:} Register {Sally / a student} to attend HOBY 6/7 – 6/9?
Dear XXX,
I hope this message finds you well!
{CHOOSE ONE:}
I am reaching out because I thought that {Sally} might be interested in attending HOBY Missouri this year.
I am reaching out because I noticed that {Sample High School} isn’t registered for HOBY Missouri yet.
{RESUME}
HOBY MO helps Missouri high school students develop leadership skills and a commitment to community service (I’ve copied more info about HOBY below my name). HOBY is important to me because {INSERT HOW YOU KNOW HOBY HERE}.
HOBY MO’s flagship program is an annual Leadership Seminar. This year, the seminar takes place at Webster Univ June 7 – 9, 2024.
You can learn more about HOBY and the process to nominate someone at hobymo.org. You can also speak to someone with HOBY MO leadership at any time. They host 15 minute zoom meetings that you can schedule using this link.
Let me know if there is anything I can do to help. I hope you will consider sending a {Sally / a student} to HOBY this year – it is truly a life-changing experience!
{NAME}
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ABOUT HOBY MISSOURI
HOBY Missouri is a state-wide organization that helps high school students recognize their leadership talents and apply them to become effective, ethical leaders in their home, school, workplace and community (learn more about HOBY MO at our website or on Instagram / Facebook). We bring rising high school juniors from across the state to St. Louis every year for a 3 day leadership seminar, then we work with alumni of the program on an ongoing basis to help them become the best leaders they can be through initiatives such as the HOBY MO Champions program. This video, in particular, shows what HOBY is all about.
Contact Your Organization / School
Do the organizations and schools that you are involved in have a Summer Opportunities page or newsletter? Reach out to ask if you can add HOBY to the list! Anyone can submit a Community Nomination for their child, friend or family member.
Visit Your School
Prefer in-person visits? Check out this School Nomination Kit. Print it out, bring it to your school counselor’s office and encourage them to sign an outstanding sophomore today!
Leave a Voice Message
Not excited about making a call or visiting in-person? You can also call your guidance counselor outside of office hours to leave them a voice message! Here is a sample script for you:
Hi! My name is XXX and I noticed that {SAMPLE HIGH SCHOOL} hasn’t nominated an outstanding sophomore for the HOBY Leadership Seminar yet. I am {an alumni / a volunteer / an alumni parent} with HOBY and it is an incredible experience. I hope you will consider taking a few minutes to nominate a student. Details about HOBY and the nomination process are available at hobymo.org. That’s h-o-b-y-m (as in Mary)-o-dot-o-r-g . It takes just a few minutes to nominate someone for something that is potentially a life-changing experience for them. And HOBY MO has scholarships available if the student has financial need. You can also schedule a 15 minute zoom with a member of the HOBY MO team, or give them a call anytime at 573-7HOBYMO (that’s 573-746-2966). We look forward to seeing a student at the seminar this year from {SAMPLE HIGH SCHOOL}!
Here’s a Sample Schedule for the Week!
Monday
- Post a testimonial on social media about helping with the ARB and why you love HOBY MO.
- Invite friends who are familiar with HOBY MO to join the ARB Facebook event – we will share tips daily about nominating a student for HOBY!
Tuesday
- Double-check that your school has nominated a student. If not, leave the school guidance counselor a message after business hours tonight.
- Text your best friend to see if she would be willing to reach out to her school.
Wednesday
- Post one of the fun graphics created by the HOBY MO team on your social media accounts and tag a friend or two that has a high school sophomore.
Thursday
- Repost a HOBY MO social media post.
- Reach out to a high school that you are familiar with to see if they could add HOBY MO Community Nominations to their weekly newsletter or summer opportunities website.
Friday
- Post a photo of you at a HOBY event.
- Print out the School Nomination Kit and add a note explaining why HOBY is important to you. Bring it to a nearby high school and ask if you can leave it with a guidance counselor or principal.
Fundraise for HOBY
You can help HOBY MO advance our mission by hosting a fundraiser. HOBY MO will host organization-wide fundraisers that you can participate in, and you can also host your own! Whether you choose to host a carwash or a fundraiser on social media (here are some great ideas!), make sure you log your service hours at this link and get HOBY MO Bucks for all of your efforts by submitting the details of your fundraiser via the "Get in Touch" form below. If you choose to host your own fundraiser, make sure to direct donations to hobymo.org/donate/.
Senior Facilitator
As a Senior Facilitator, you will be assigned to a team of 8-10 student ambassadors and 1-2 Junior Facilitator(s). Senior Facilitators are responsible for guiding our student ambassadors throughout the seminar program, engaging them in conversation regarding our many leadership activities and speakers, and encouraging their teams to remain alive, alert, and enthusiastic through the weekend. Our Senior Facilitators do all of this with the help of their Junior Facilitator.
Senior Facilitators are required to arrive at the seminar venue the Thursday evening prior to seminar start and remain at the seminar through the closing ceremonies on Sunday. This includes overnight stays at the seminar venue. There is a small fee to cover the cost of lodging.
You must be age 21 or older before the Wednesday of seminar week to become a Senior Facilitator and all adult volunteers must pass a background check.
Junior Staff
To apply for the HOBY MO Junior Staff team, you must be a HOBY alumni and under 21.
Junior Staff members are primarily assigned to the role of Junior Facilitator where they work with a team of 8-10 student ambassadors throughout the weekend to help facilitate discussions along with a Senior Facilitator (21+). Some Junior Staff members with also help with seminar operations by setting up meals, activities and technology aspects of the seminar. Junior Facilitator and Operations roles will be assigned by the Leadership Seminar Committee.
Junior Staff members are required to arrive at the seminar venue the Thursday evening prior to seminar start and remain at the seminar through the closing ceremonies on Sunday. This includes overnight stays at the seminar venue. There is a small fee to cover the cost of lodging.
Junior Staff spaces are limited so be sure to apply today!
Join a Committee
1) Advancement (Fundraising & Marketing) – members of this committee work throughout the year to raise financial and in-kind donations to support HOBY MO programs. Members also plan and host events and activities to keep donors and sponsors engaged with the organization’s mission. This committee is also responsible for marketing efforts such as graphic design, social media, and fundraising campaigns.
2) Recruitment – members of this committee take an active role September – May in recruiting future ambassadors by reaching out to Missouri high schools to ensure they know about our seminar and plan to send student(s). Members also assist with updating our high school database, and (for those who are interested) may be asked to speak on behalf of the organization to area administrators and/or students.
3) Volunteer & Alumni Engagement – members of this committee work throughout the year to assist with keeping our HOBY MO alumni and volunteers engaged by planning and hosting volunteer and alumni events. Members also work to recruit volunteers to staff all HOBY MO events including, in particular, the annual Leadership Seminar.
4) Leadership Seminar – members of this committee meet in the winter and spring to brainstorm, plan and implement all of the details necessary for the seminar.
If you are interested in joining any of these committees, please fill out the “Get in Touch. Get Involved.” form below. Got questions? You can schedule a time to speak to a HOBY MO volunteer in-person (via zoom) by clicking this link.