Olivia Hartman

​Nomination: Olivia Hartman is a highly motivated, dedicated young woman who strives for excellence. As captain of her hockey team, she set high standards for herself and her teammates, fostering responsibility, trust, and resilience. She leads by example with discipline, integrity, and a team-first mindset, and isn’t afraid to have tough conversations to help others grow. Olivia creates a positive, supportive environment where everyone feels valued and empowered. Known for her enthusiasm and uplifting presence, she leaves a lasting impression. This fall, she will attend North Dakota State University to study exercise science or criminal justice.

What other inspiring qualities, achievements, or experiences about you, not mentioned in your nomination, would you like readers to know about?
Beyond what was mentioned in my nomination, I’d like readers to know that I am someone who truly cares about the people around me. I always try to be supportive, dependable, and positive, whether that means helping a friend, encouraging others, or simply being someone people can count on. I value kindness and believe the way you treat others matters just as much as any achievement.

What goals, dreams, or projects are you currently working toward right now?
Becoming an Ultrasounds tech. Being able to see babies and see the look on the parent/parents face when they hear the first heartbeat or their baby that is a size of a pea but still makes the very happy, I want to share that excitement with them.

What could talk about for hours, and why does it matter so much to you?
I could talk about being nice to people no matter of what for hours, it matters to me so much because you never know what people are going through from a glimpse of their lives. All people deserved to be treated with kindness and respect!

What is something you have learned about yourself as a leader or influencer in the past year?
Not everyone is gonna agree with you and that’s okay! Everyone has their different opinions and ways to handle things but making sure you listen to everyone’s opinions and views and trying to make everyone’s opinions show.

Can you share a moment when your kindness or support made a difference in someone’s life? I did peer mentoring at school as a class, it’s a class that lets you get the chance to interact with special needs students at the school! It’s a very fun class, I would leave class everyday with atleast 2 of the students telling me they had so much fun playing with me today!

What does being dependable and someone others can count on look like in your everyday life?
It means making sure that if people are having a rough day or few weeks that I’m always here to talk about it with them and I’m always a listening ear.

What inspired you to pursue becoming an ultrasound tech?
I have younger siblings and I’ve been to a few of my moms doctor appointments where they put the gel on her stomach and run the scanner over it and you can see the little baby that’s growing inside, that always seemed so interesting to me and something I would love to do - being able to bring people their happiness with seeing the life growing inside of them.

What impact do you hope to make on families through this career?
I hope to be to share a different type of happiness with families after them hearing the heart beat of their new life

How do you show kindness even in challenging or stressful situations?
Even when you’re stressed in your own life doesn’t mean the rest of the people around you are, not taking your stress out on them and just remaining to be kind.

Why do you think kindness and respect are so important in today’s world?
You never know what kind of battles people are dealing with behind closed doors and kindness can always make someone’s day 10x without you even knowing

What advice would you give to someone stepping into a leadership role for the first time?
Not everyone is gonna agree with your thoughts and you have to be okay with that and understand it and it’s okay to have different thoughts but you need to listen to everyone’s thoughts and put it all together to make everything work

What is your ideal dream job if it were offered to you today?
If I was offered a job today I would hope it would be a detective ever since a little kid I’ve always wanted to be a detective!

What is one of your favorite memories with the person who nominated you, or something about them that means a lot to you?
Erinn is one of the most outgoing and intelligent person I know. She lights up the room wherever you are and makes it seem like you’ve known her for years even if you’ve just met her. Thats what I love about her so much she always makes you feel welcome.

Tell us about the person who took your photo — how did you connect, and what was that experience like?
Taking my pictures with Erinn made me feel magical, and confident. She shares her life stories while listening when sharing your own! She becomes your best friend instantly.

How did you first hear about Inspiring Teens Magazine? Why does being part of Inspiring Teens Magazine matter to you?
I’ve came across a few people nominated for it and looked like such a special moment. Being able to show of my picture and being recognized for the bright picture makes it so fun, being a part of ITM is such an honor and not something that comes every day.

How will winning a scholarship through Inspiring Teens Magazine help you?
Growth skills, it’s something that would cause me to step out of my comfort zone and that’s what I need! Continuing to grow as a person is something I look for in most situations and how I can handle things!

What made you say “yes” to the Inspiring Teens challenge, and how did you feel when you first started?
This opportunity with the magazine doesn’t come every day so I knew I had to take up the offer when I had the chance! I was nervous about putting myself out there at first but I’m so glad I did!

What is one moment during the challenge so far that has made you feel proud or realize you were growing in confidence, mindset, or taking action?
Realizing how many people around me support me and want to succeed just made me feel so important!

Now that you have your interview, which leaderboard level are you most looking forward to and why?
Getting to level 6 would be so awesome I would love to get there, and it would just feel like such an accomplishment!

If another teen is thinking about joining the Inspiring Teens Magazine Leadership Challenge but feels unsure, what would you tell them?
I would tell the other teen they should definitely join!! It’s not something that happens often and the way it makes you feel during the process is so loving!

Beyond votes or placements, what are you hoping to gain from this experience—and what would make you feel truly successful in the end?
Even with the amount of votes right now I am beyond grateful of all of the support I’ve gotten right now and I know how much people around me strive to see me succeed.

Is there anyone you'd like to thank for helping you get where you are today?
I could thank a couple people, my mom and Erinn Letts! But really thankful for my mom and everything she’s done to help me succeed and support me in everything I do, she’s my best friend and I could do anything without her!


Look for Olivia in issue 102 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!
* Each interview is shared in the teen’s own words, so their authentic voice shines through.