Bainbridge High School rising juniors Shelby Gordon and Meredith Conder recently attended the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Seminar, held on the campus of Georgia Southwestern University in Americus. The young ladies were selected for this honor by competing with other BHS sophomores in writing an essay about the leader who had influenced their lives.

The Leadership Seminar is designed to prepare Georgia’s high school sophomores to become effective, ethical leaders in their home, school, workplace, and community. The three-day event was filled with keynote speakers, team building activities, leadership games, and simulation activities. The goals of HOBY include improving critical thinking skills, better understanding of the democratic process, developing goal-setting skills, and realizing the importance of leadership. The emphasis is placed on the critical thinking components of leadership: “How to Think, not What to Think.”

As part of the commitment to the President’s Summit for America’s Future, HOBY ambassadors are challenged to complete a minimum of 100 hours of volunteer service annually. This Leadership for Service Program encourages young adults to give back through community service. Ambassadors who meet this requirement are invited to attend the 2012 HOBY Leadership Seminar as a junior staffer. Bainbridge residents and former HOBY ambassadors Austin Spooner and Mary Grace Griffin were part of the Leadership Staff during the June event.

Meredith is the daughter of Mike and Hildy Conder, and Shelby is the daughter of David and Alicia Gordon. Both will be involved in the dual enrollment program at Bainbridge College this fall, taking college courses in addition to classes at BHS.