Date: Fri 20-Aug-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: JEFF

Quick Words:

AJ-Palmer-HOBY-seminar

Full Text:

For AJ Palmer, Leadership Is A Way Of Life

(with photo)

BY JEFF WHITE

"There is no action that is more rewarding than to help others," said Newtown

High School junior AJ Palmer recently. "When I see that I've helped someone,

and I see the glow in their face, there is no tangible reward I could get that

would compare to that."

AJ is the type of student who seems to exist for the sole purpose of helping

his peers. He gives thanks largely to the Hugh O'Brian Youth Foundation

(HOBY), whose emphasis on student leadership has left an indelible mark on

AJ's life.

The idea of a student leadership foundation hit actor Hugh O'Brian, while

winging his way home to Los Angeles from a trip to Africa and a week with Dr

Albert Schweitzer. What Mr O'Brian learned from the humanitarian/scholar was

the importance of encouraging young students to think for themselves and turn

such individual thought into action. When Mr O'Brian got off the plane, HOBY

was created.

Since then, thousands of high school students like AJ have attended

conferences throughout their home states, as well as major national and

international seminars, all under the banner of developing leadership

potential among all high school students.

In March, AJ was selected to represent Newtown High School at the Connecticut

HOBY conference in Vernon. According to AJ, most Connecticut high schools send

one student to attend this seminar, where students hear a variety of

motivational guest speakers and participate in numerous leadership workshops,

discussing a wide array of issues such as AIDS awareness, drunk driving and

anger management.

"He is a very sound person," said Jean Fadus, a member of the Newtown Women's

Club, the organization that sponsored AJ for the Connecticut conference.

Arriving at this year's Connecticut conference, AJ was no stranger to student

leadership. Since his freshman year, he had been an active member in the high

school student council. Still, he could not have predicted that he would be

chosen as one of three Connecticut high school sophomores to represent the

state at the HOBY World Leadership Congress in Philadelphia this summer.

"I felt when I came back [from Philadelphia] I was so much less selfish," he

said. It was at the World Leadership Congress that AJ had the opportunity not

only to rub shoulders with over 200 rising high school leaders from around the

nation and world, but with the founder himself, Hugh O'Brian.

Hearing his message up close, said AJ, solidified his commitment to service

and leadership.

In his book Visionary Leadership Hugh O'Brian writes, "Sometimes leadership

appears to be so easy that observers tend to think it just comes naturally. In

reality, leadership is a very intentional process that demands time, energy,

commitment, purpose, and a very keen understanding of exactly what leadership

is."

For AJ, leadership is, in part, recognizing the possibilities that all

individuals possess.

"I realized that so many people have a tremendous amount of potential, and

they key is to realize that potential. They need to choose to live rather than

just exist."

While reflecting on the valuable lessons he has learned at both the state and

world HOBY conferences, AJ looks ahead to his coming junior year at the high

school, and the different ways he can make manifest his leadership skills to

help his fellow classmates.

He will continue to participate in student government, and hopes to establish

a Community Leadership Workshop (CLEW) this fall, which will be a one-day

version of the state HOBY seminar where more high school students will have

the opportunity to participate.

He also has some issues that he wants to bring before the Newtown Board of

Education, including the current commitment of teachers in the high school.

"Teachers need to keep asking themselves `why am I teaching?'" AJ explained.

"Hugh O'Brian believes that not teaching students to think for themselves

almost stifles their potential."

Many of AJ's words reach back in time to Africa, to Dr Schweitzer, who

ultimately gave up his scholarly pursuits to serve his fellow man. It was that

decision which struck a cord in Hugh O'Brian and got him thinking of ways to

carry on Dr Schweitzer's legacy.

"HOBY has taught me not to be afraid to go out to the community and show

everybody else the importance of community and helping others," AJ said. "All

the payment I need I get from people."