WESTBROOK, Minnesota (STPNS) --     WWG — To often our youth are in the news for things that give people pause about the younger generation. This is not one of those stories. Recently Hailey Osland, a junior at Westbrook Walnut Grove High School, was honored at the HOBY Cheers Dinner in the Northstar Ballroom at the University of Minnesota.

    She was among about a dozen students recognized for completing over 100 hours of community service in the past year.

    Last summer Osland was selected to attend the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) at Bethel University in St. Paul. The three day leadership seminar has been held since 1958. HOBY’s mission is to inspire and develop our global community of youth and volunteers to a life dedicated to leadership, service and innovation. Since 2009,  HOBY Minnesota alumni have delivered over 12,526 hours of community service in Minnesota.



    Osland was selected by Mrs. Ourada to represent  the WWG school. She related some of her trip to the seminar.

    On the way into the campus, there were students holding signs showing the way to the HOBY seminar. She said, “at first I thought they were a bunch of crazy people, but they were actually junior staffers — they were really helpful with getting us registered.”

    After registering they were given different colored shirts to wear, and were broken into groups of eight to ten people wearing the same color. Each group  had a junior advisor, and a mentor.

    The first day they listened to speakers, talking about things like how to lead effectively — listening to others — and how to take charge of things that were out of control.

    They played several leadership games. One of the games was called Black and Red. “We were split into two large groups. It was about learning to work together for common goals,” she said. “Your team could pick either red or black, and the other team could do the same. But if you picked black and the opponents picked red then you would get points. If both teams picked red then both teams would get points. If both teams picked black then neither team would get any points.”

    Another game, one group was given instructions, and they had to then explain to the second group verbally all the instructions they had received. The third group was blindfolded and the second group  had to guide the third group to complete the  task.

    The second day all of the teams participated in a community service project, packaging meals for Kids Feeding Kids. Also her group went to North Minneapolis to work in a community garden. They planted the garden for needy people to have access to fresh vegetables during the summer.  

    Osland said, “it was neat that some of the neighborhood kids  came over to help with the planting.”

    “They packed a lot into each day — that night we had a dance and games for all the kids,” Osland said.

    She said “the third day I got sick and it was hard to focus, but I stuck it out. I met a lot of really good people there and I continue to correspond with some  of them.”

    This summer she will be going back for the HOBY as a junior staffer. Following  that she will attend Girl’s State.

    “It was a powerful experience for me — it was great to be able to advance my leadership skills — and I will get to see some  of the girls I met there when I attend Girl’s State,” she said.

    Some of the things she has done for local community service are: working at Mary and Martha’s Pantry during the summer; helping with vacation bible school; and helped at SOS Camp, for disabled persons, at Shetek Lutheran Bible Camp for five days.

    She made four fleece tied blankets for the food shelf. She donates her time at a day care center in Walnut Grove and does baby sitting for free.

    Osland also does baby sitting to raise money for her return this summer as a HOBY junior staffer. She plans on raffling off some quilts her grandmother made for her to raise money. She needs to raise $250 to attend as a junior staffer.

    She plans on setting up a food drive or donations for the food shelf next fall.

    Osland participates in volleyball, track, JO volleyball, band, choir, and church choir at Trinity Lutheran Church in Walnut Grove.

    “I would highly recommend this for other students — it is a lot of fun,” she said. “I have pages of notes from every speaker, and I learned a lot from it” Earlier she spoke at a Kiwanis Club meeting, noting that they support the program.

    This year Shiney Her will be attending the seminar representing Westbrook Walnut Grove.