Hardy, who is the president of the FFA chapter at South Central Calhoun High School, thinks back to last July, when he was part of Boys Nation in Washington, D.C.

“When the Boys Nation vice president — a guy from Alabama — found out I was from Iowa, he said, ‘You guys grow a lot of corn, right? What do you do with all that corn?'”

Hardy pulled out his smartphone and showed his new friends harvest scenes from his family’s farm near Lohrville. Many of the guys were amazed by the size of the farm equipment — and they had plenty of questions.

“About 75% of the guys at Boys Nation have no ag background,” said Hardy, 18. “I like to advocate for ag when I have opportunities like this.”

-Submitted photo
Matthew Hardy, of Lohrville, participated in the American Legion Boys State in Iowa, where he was elected governor this past summer.

He also appreciates his FFA experiences to prepare him for new opportunities, from Boys Nation (where he was elected secretary of agriculture) to the American Legion’s Boys State program in Iowa, where he was elected governor this past summer.

Hardy is currently serving as a page at the state capitol in Des Moines. He works with Rep. Pat Grassley, speaker of the Iowa House. Each year the Iowa Senate and the Iowa House of Representatives employ ambitious high school juniors and seniors of high academic standing to serve as pages for the legislative session. Pages learn the inside workings of government and lawmaking, while participating in the time-honored tradition of public service.

All this builds on the lessons Hardy has learned through FFA, which helps students develop their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. More than 20,000 students participate in 270 local FFA chapters across Iowa, according to the Iowa FFA Association.

Hardy has maximized his FFA experiences, from participating in speech contests (including prepared public speaking events and extemporaneous speaking) to competing at the state level in conduct-of-meetings events.

“FFA does a great job of preparing you for the real world,” he said.

Maximizing a week that shapes a lifetime

For Hardy, the real world includes his family’s Century Farm in Union Township in Calhoun County.

FFA is also a long-time tradition in the Hardy family. Hardy is following in the footsteps of his father, Mike, and his uncles and aunts, who were members of the Southern Cal High School FFA in the 1990s.

Along with his involvement in FFA, Hardy is also a long-time 4-H member. Both organizations have taught him the value of teamwork and community service, which includes delivering care packages to farmers during harvest.

All these life skills have motivated Hardy to set big goals and accomplish them. This came into focus this past summer at Boys State, which was held at Camp Dodge in Johnston. This week-long, hands-on civics leadership experience is designed to help high school boys learn more about American government. Participants are sponsored through their community’s local American Legion post.

“There’s a Nationalist Party and a Federalist Party at Boys State, which includes four mock counties and eight cities,” said Hardy, a Federalist who decided early on to run for governor of Boys State.

About 250 boys participated in the 2024 session of Boys State in late June. With his catchy campaign slogan of “Life’s a Party, Vote for Hardy,” this high school senior worked hard to talk with as many Boys State participants as he could.

“It’s important to get to know people on a personal level and find out what’s important to them,” he said.

After being elected governor (“I won the vote by 4%,” Hardy said), it was time to get to work. Hardy selected his cabinet members and signed (or vetoed) bills that reached his desk. He also had to lead Boys State when a mock flood hit Johnson County.

Many students say they learn more in one week at Boys State than they would in a semester of high school civics. In addition, Boys State participants have opportunities to win scholarships and earn college credit to applicable schools.

Following the conclusion of Boys State 2024, Hardy had the opportunity to represent Iowa at Boys Nation in Washington, D.C. in mid-July 2024. While 14,000 young men attend Boys State events in their home states across America, only 100 are selected to participate in Boys Nation. These elite young leaders receive an in-depth education on the structure and function of the federal government.

Each delegate acts as a senator from his Boys State. The young lawmakers caucus at the beginning of the session, then organize into committees and conduct hearings on bills submitted by program delegates. Senators learn the proper method of handling bills, according to U.S. Senate rules. Participation in the political process is emphasized throughout the week, including organization of party conventions and nominating and electing a president and vice president.

The week of government training also includes lectures, forums and visits to federal agencies, national shrines, memorials and historical sites. On Capitol Hill, Boys Nation senators meet with elected officials from their home states.

“We got a private tour of the White House and the Pentagon, along with a tour of the Capitol at night,” said Hardy, who ran for president of Boys Nation.

Since Boys Nation began in 1946, a number of its graduates have been elected to public office, including presidents, congressmen, state governors and state legislators. Many others have been inspired to work for the campaigns of candidates seeking public office.

“Whether you’re talking about Boys State or Boys Nation, it’s a week that shapes a lifetime,” said Hardy, who proposed the creation of National Farmers Week during his tenure as secretary of agriculture at Boys Nation. “You only get one shot with these things, so make it count.”

Dreams take flight

Hardy knows how to make things count. Along with his leadership experiences and his FFA activities, he has also found time to become a licensed pilot. This fall, he plans to major in aviation with a minor in professional flight at Mankato State University in southern Minnesota. His goal is to become a commercial pilot.

“I’ve always been interested in airplanes and flight,” said Hardy, who became a licensed pilot about six months after he began his training at the airport in Carroll.

Hardy flies a Piper Archer, a 180-horsepower, four-seater plane.

“I like the freedom and like to go fast,” said Hardy, who has flown as far away as Dubuque.

No matter where his adventures or his career path take him, Hardy plans to maintain close ties to his family’s Century Farm. “I want to make sure the family farm stays in our family.”