Nazareth Academy Names Two Students For Leadership Seminar

LA GRANGE PARK, ILS — Nazareth Academy has named two student ambassadors for the 2019 HOBY conference. The school said each year, 10,000 high school sophomores from across the country join one of 70 Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Seminars to recognize their leadership talents.

“The HOBY curriculum is based on the Social Change Model of Leadership and develops leadership from three perspectives: Personal Leadership, Group Leadership, and Leadership for Society,” Kate Augustyn, Nazareth’s Director of Student Activities, said in a release. “In this way, the program aligns nicely with the servant leadership style that we encourage all of our students to embrace. Students who have attended the HOBY conference have returned to Nazareth with fresh ideas and renewed vigor to apply what they learned at the conference to better our school community.”

The two sophomores who will be attending the conference are Matthew Ivansek of Riverside and Maggie Rausch of Willowbrook. The school said the two were selected by Nazareth's faculty and staff. They will attend the HOBY Conference at Benedictine University in June.

“I am so happy that I am able to participate in a wonderful event like this,” said Ivansek. "I’m looking forward to learning how to be a better leader as well as all the amazing memories I’ll make.”

Rausch agreed, adding, “I am honored to represent Nazareth and am grateful for this amazing opportunity to grow my leadership skills.”

Junior Connor Uphues of Berwyn, who attended the conference last year, was also selected to return to this year’s conference as a volunteer HOBY leader.

“HOBY was a life changing experience and I will never forget those days, the friends I made, or the lessons I learned,” Uphues said in a release. “I hope that Maggie and Matt get the same joy out of it and are also inspired to lead the following year.”

Photo provided by Nazareth Academy.