Lili Heredia is Hall High School’s HOBY Award recipient

SPRING VALLEY – Sophomore Lili Heredia is the 2020-21 recipient of Hall High School’s Hugh O’Brian Youth Association Award.

Heredia will attend state leadership seminars virtually this summer with other HOBY Award winners from around the state. HOBY leadership seminars are highly interactive programs, following a leadership development curriculum that allows students to discover leadership from a personal, group and socially responsible perspective.

The mission of the Hugh O’Brian Youth Association is to seek, recognize and develop leadership potential commencing with high school sophomores. The expected outcomes of the seminars are for students attending to learn to better think critically; to enhance their leadership skills; to learn more about democracy, free enterprise and volunteerism; and to accept the risks of leadership.

The virtual seminars include motivational speakers and highly interactive panels and focus on service in the community. Heredia will have the opportunity to meet more than 120 motivated sophomores just like herself from all across the state of Illinois. Together, they will develop their personal, group and societal leadership skills through various activities and projects, participate in a community service project and be encouraged to take back what they’ve learned to their own communities. After attending the seminars, HOBY alumni are challenged to complete 100 hours of community service within the next year as a way to put their passion and newly built leadership skills into action.

Heredia is the daughter of Hugo and Jennifer Heredia of Spring Valley. She has been active in volleyball, Devilettes and Student Council. She volunteers at the COVID-19 vaccine center at Hall and at the veterans home.

Heredia was selected for this honor by faculty and her peers. The faculty nominates students for this honor. The top names of nominees are then presented to the sophomore class to vote. The faculty and students vote according to the following criteria: outstanding written/oral communication skills, critical and/or creative thinking, creative problem-solving, strong decision-making skills, sensitivity to the needs of others, charismatic personality, courage to speak out for one’s beliefs, courage to challenge authority and community service.

The Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership program began in 1958 inspired by conversations with Dr. Albert Schweitzer. This year’s seminar will be held virtually through Zoom from June 11 to 13.