Well, they are here! Our volunteers and Ambassadors have arrived, checked it, gone through orientation, had dinner, and have "Survived" their first day of programming. By this time, everyone is in their beds, bed checks have been completed and the volunteer staff are down in the break room going through the days events and making changes to ensure that things run smoother.
Today was a pretty jammed pack day! Many of our Ambassadors had to travel five, six even seven hours to be here and then were up until just recently. I think I need more beauty sleep than that! But they definitely are bonding, and they are definitely engaged. Our LSC, Karen and next year's LSC, Lisa walked everyone through orientation before heading off to dinner. Our Ambassadors, many for the first time, got to experience a college dining experience. Yum! Actually, it hit the spot and gave everyone energy for the evening's activities.
We started with learning about the SOCIAL CHANGE MODEL. . .our personal responsibility, our ability as a group to have an impact and finally, our role within society. We watched the HOBY Story and then had our three keynote speakers.
AC Cristales started and told us that "Life is hard, success is made up of the failures that you make and how you overcome them." He talked about taking responsibility every day for ourselves. . ."If your dreams are big enough and important enough, then invest in them yourselves." He overcame diversity and graduated from high school a 17, college three years later and a masters degree at 23.
After A.C., we moved to John Johnson and Dr. Estella Snieder, noted radio hosts and TV personality who is who joined us via live statelite speed from the Red Carpet in NYC. They are there attending women in film. They encouraged us to consider the actions that we are taking today, the people that we connect with, the things we put in our bodies and are we making the right decisions possible.
Finally, we ended with HOBY favorite, Sandrea Shields and director and mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters. She shared with us her experiences and the need for each of us to find mentors and mentees. Help others and let others help you.
The ambassadors are now tucked in bed and the paperwork begins. But come morning time, we will be #Alive #Awake #Alert #Enthusiastic and ready for more!!
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