Contact: Nicole Lovik-Blaser, Director Forest City Education Foundation (641) 585-2323 nicolelovikblaser@gmail.

com Heidi Nyhus, Communications Intern Forest City Education Foundation (641) 590-7080 hlnyhus@iastate.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FCHS STUDENTS ATTEND HUGH OBRIAN YOUTH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE FOREST CITY, IOWA, August 9, 2013Five Forest City High school students attended the Hugh OBrian Youth Leadership Conference (HOBY) at Central College in Pella, June 14-16. Hannah Rosacker, Amanda Wilson, Hannah May & Kyra Sorensen were among those selected to become HOBY ambassadors. Sophomore students submit an essay describing their personal leadership skills and what they hope to gain from attending the conference. Ambassadors are selected by faculty, staff, and past HOBY ambassadors who viewed the essay anonymously. In previous years, different funding sources from the school helped sponsor ambassadors. In 2012, the Forest City Education Foundation, along with private donors, began sponsoring students. With the generosity of the Forest City Education Foundation and other personal contributions, we got to send four students to HOBY, which was exciting. When you have more people who get to experience it, they as a group get to see what HOBY can do and they get to see their leadership skill put to use, said Amanda Post, 2012 HOBY ambassador. Post returned to HOBY this year as a junior councilor. Forest City Education Foundation sponsored the registration fees for this position as well. During the three-day conference, ambassadors participate in a variety of activities and seminars that focus on three different types of leadership: personal, group, and community. Activities help build confidence levels and teach ambassadors how to relate to others in a leadership capacity. The last day focused on community leadership and group leaders. It has the biggest impact on the students because they can see how they can change the world. You get to see the culmination of the other days, said Post.

### Forest City Education Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides scholarships and educational enrichment and recognition opportunities to Forest City students and graduates. Over half a million dollars was awarded to 2013 Forest City graduates with over $225,000 directly awarded from the Forest City Education Foundation.