Senior, Magnificat High School
Hardy, who joined Troop 83 in kindergarten, has been a Girl Scout ever since. She has nearly 100 scout badges to show for her dedication and is considered a Juliette — doing most of her work for the past four years without a troop. In February, the 17-year-old’s service project, Athletes: Go Green or Go Home, garnered a Gold Award, the highest honor a scout can earn. water ways: For two years she has urged local athletes to be environmental leaders by recycling or using a reusable water bottle during their sports seasons. “It’s getting people to see that using [them] is really helping, even though it seems like a little step,” she says. To date, more than 75 basketball players from the Westlake Recreation Center have made the pledge. Less than a week after asking them to sign up, Hardy saw full recycling bins and athletes carrying reusable bottles. “It was awesome to see the hard work I put into the project actually affecting these kids.” That’s swell: Her bottle of choice? A 25-ounce sparkly pink and purple S’well for school and a Gatorade squirt bottle during lacrosse games. “I’ll bring [the S’well] to school or tournaments because they stay really cold,” she says. “But if I’m on the field, a Gatorade squeezy is quick and convenient. I can leave my [goalie] helmet on and just squirt water into my mouth.” Stepping up: As a sophomore, Hardy was pressed into action at goalie after the starter transferred. It wasn’t her natural position, but she earned second-team all-district honors. “I wanted to be the best goalie Mags had seen in years,” she says. Whiz kid: Magnificat has helped Hardy improve at math and science. Teachers want to see their girls succeed, especially in industries where female employment is lacking. “It helped me see that while I may not be good at chemistry, environmental [science] was something I could really understand,” she says. Girl power: The all-girls environment has helped her become a better leader. “It helps you feel comfortable in your own skin,” she says. “It’s empowering. There’s no pressure to be just one person. You can explore everything.”
