Be a Part of Cayla's Path to Leadership with HOBY

Hello everyone! My name is Cayla Oldenburger, and I am an incoming senior at Aurora Central Catholic High School. I strive to dedicate my time to helping my peers throughout my community, as well as to influence positive mindsets in people outside my community.

During the spring of 2023, I was given the incredible opportunity to attend the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Seminar (HOBY) located at Loyola University. At first, when my school counselor nominated me to attend, I didn't really perceive myself as a strong leader. I never truly knew what I was capable of, but my counselor saw something in me that I never saw in myself.

During that school year, I struggled to find a place for myself to be loved and heard. My mom had been battling stage 4 ovarian cancer, which caused me to stress about my family and my life. The opportunity to live a life free from stress never crossed my mind until those moments. That was until one weekend changed my perception of life to a more positive outlook.

HOBY was a place for young adults like me to express our interests and ideas. It was a place where I could be a kid and not worry about the adult experiences I was facing at the age of 16. It gave me an outlet to shine in an invisible spotlight and be loved by so many. The community helped me find my self-worth once again. Those three days changed my life, and I was both physically and mentally moved by the people in that atmosphere.

About a month later, a devastating event occurred in July. The cancer began to take its toll on my mom, and she unfortunately passed away on July 26, 2023. My heart broke into a million pieces that day. I didn't know whether to cry, be alone, or even keep living in the loved mindset HOBY gave me.

It was a real struggle for the first few months until I remembered that, even though there are hardships in life, I should be thankful for the people around me: my friends, my family, my coaches, and even the moms who stepped up to be the motherly figure when I needed it most (Bina Massey, Jennie Nash, Colin Barnes, and Bich Le, just to name a few). I love all of them, and I wouldn't know what to do without them.

I came back in early June of this year to be on staff and volunteer for this seminar to help kids like me experience what I experienced a year prior. Even though this year it would be a lot different, especially with my mom's physical presence missing, I truly showed my heart and love to everyone at this year's seminar. I had so many unforgettable moments that I will cherish forever.

HOBY has an international group that is similar to what I experienced as an ambassador called The World Leadership Congress (WLC), but the cost to attend is greater than the in-state seminar because people from all over the United States come together at Loyola University to attend this seminar. This would be a lifetime opportunity to experience, but the admission fee is $2000 and I cannot pay for this on my own, so I reached out to you to help support me. If you personally cannot do so, please share and spread my story. It would be a big help and much appreciated. I understand that not being able to experience HOBY firsthand might leave you in the dark, but I'm willing to answer any questions or concerns anyone might have supporting my cause.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for your generous support. Your belief in my potential means the world to me, and I am excited to embark on this journey with your help. I hope you have an O U T S T A N D I N G day!

P.S. I created a super fun photo collage video of the activities we did seminar this year, so fill free to watch ỉt!