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When Michael Hardy learned he had earned the title of valedictorian, he was both surprised and honored.

“It was a little surprising,” Hardy said, “but feels pretty good to be up there with two good friends.”

His parents were extremely proud, having watched Michael work so hard for this since fifth grade.

Throughout high school, Hardy found one of his greatest inspirations in the classroom of Melissa Stanley, his AP Calculus teacher.

“I was already big into math, but she made it fun and pushed us hard, out of love, to try and get us to do the best we could,” Hardy said.

Hardy credits his success not only to his teachers but also to his parents.

“I guess it’s kinda a cliché, but both of my parents motivated me. My dad really pushed me to really study hard and to do better in school, and my mom has always been there with emotional support when I needed it,” Hardy shared.

He also added “Everything that I do is for my four little cousins, who are all in 6th grade and below, in hope that they’ll follow in my footsteps and do even better than me.”

Outside the classroom, he was a member of the Chess Club and helped at ThreeLife Church, where he describes the environment as “super nice and inviting.”

“That’s probably the number one extracurricular that I did. I had a lot of fun there,” Hardy added.

Among the toughest academic challenges he faced, AP Calculus and AP Language topped the list.

“AP Language had my hand covered in ink from all the writing,” Hardy joked.

This fall, Hardy plans to attend Georgia Tech and major in mathematics. While he isn’t sure what career path he’ll follow, he’s confident it will involve doing something he enjoys.

“My friends mess with me and say that I’ll come back to Callaway as maybe a math teacher, but I don’t really have a dream job. I know there are good jobs out there, but I just hope that I can practice what I enjoy doing after college,” Hardy shares.

Despite his poised and composed demeanor today, many might be surprised to learn about his early years.

“If you didn’t know me back in elementary or middle school, you probably wouldn’t guess I used to get into fights, spend time in ISS, and have my parents called up to the school,” Hardy admitted.

That only goes to show what hard work can accomplish.

When reflecting on his favorite memories, he doesn’t point to a single moment but a recurring time of camaraderie.

“I enjoy this certain time every day that we have where we’re all in the library, like our main friends, or at the lunch table. It’s always super fun whether we’re having a serious conversation or just messing around. We should probably be doing school work, but it’s great,” Hardy says with a smile.

To younger students, Hardy offers this advice: “Reach out to people who’ve already gone through high school, depending on what you are trying to achieve. If your goal is to be valedictorian, try to get the advice of someone who has taken all the dual enrollments and all the AP’s. If you’re trying for a more leisurely route, just enjoy high school. I would suggest asking an older sibling or friend for advice.”

And finally, from the valedictorian himself, a lasting message: “Keep pushing. Come to the realization that it’s not going to get easier after high school. No matter what you do. Keep in the back of your mind that you probably went through times in high school where you wanted to give up, but you didn’t, and apply those times to the situation you’re in.”