Meet Genna

Grade 12

D1 field hockey recruit.
Ice hockey referee.
412 food rescuer.

Her commitment never quits.

When senior Genna puts her mind to something, nothing stands in her way. This Ellis lifer is the definition of a go-getter: she’s an avid athlete who relishes challenging herself between the posts as a field hockey goalie and a highly motivated student who has a clear vision for her future. 

Driven to be the best version of herself, Genna doesn’t believe in comfort zones—she pushes past them because she trusts her talents and intuition to carry her through.

How Genna fine-tuned her tenacity at Ellis

List of 6 items.

  • How she builds her confidence:

    On the ice. She grew up playing ice hockey and began refereeing in seventh grade. Now, she’s a tenured official. "Reffing has allowed me to build my confidence in a different way. When there’s a fight or a problem on the ice, I have to use my voice and my power to take control. It can get really intense but I’ve found it’s allowed me to showcase all of the skills I've learned at Ellis. It’s been a huge part of building my confidence.”
  • What she’s good at:

    Field hockey. She plays for an elite club outside of Philadelphia, the WC Eagles, to advance her goalie skills. "I take it really seriously and work hard at my game. Field hockey allowed me to find my dream college and get recruited—so I’m really looking forward to playing at the next level.”
  • Passion project:

    Pursuing the Congressional Award for Youth, the United States Congress’ award for young Americans. This year she earned the Gold medal, which she has been working toward since her freshman year. "I completed 200 hours of physical fitness outside of school, 200 hours of personal development, 400 hours of voluntary service, and organized an expedition for my family. I did most of my volunteer work with different soup kitchens and 412 Food Rescue. It’s been a huge time commitment, but it’s opened me up to so many different opportunities.”
  • How she’s a changemaker:

     She’s educating others on food insecurity for her senior project. “I’m creating ‘Little Free Food Libraries’ and working with 412 Food Rescue to get it off the ground. My work with them opened my eyes to the struggles food-insecure people face, so I wanted to create these small pantries and put them in Pittsburgh communities that need them most.”
  • Raising her voice:

    “Being in an all-girls environment, you’re uplifted and supported in all ways. I’m not scared to ask for help because I know my teachers and classmates have my best interests in mind and are behind me. Ellis taught me my voice is important and my ideas matter.”
  • On her horizon:

    Attending Davidson University and competing on the Wildcats field hockey team. “I plan to major in economics and minor in data science because I want to pursue a career in law and advocate for human rights. As for field hockey, I can’t wait to join the team. My goal is to be a starter and show that I’m capable from day one.”

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