Megan Hardy
Professional Dungeon Master & Game Educator
- 4,000+ students taught
- Neurodivergent parent & educator
Specialties: Dungeons & Dragons · Gaming
Why Megan Hardy teaches here
Megan Hardy is a Professional DM and Mother to neurodivergent kids. She loves role playing games, science fiction, comics and just about anything geeky. She is an expert at building D&D campaigns around individual needs and has taught over 4000 students!
What students experience in Megan Hardy's classes
High Engagement
Megan is a Professional DM, and a good DM never lets a player sit idle. She builds D&D campaigns around each student so everyone gets a moment that is theirs, and with more than 4,000 students behind her, she keeps the table moving and every player in the story.
Intellectual Safety
At Megan's table there are no wrong moves, only choices that send the story somewhere new. As a mom to differently-wired kids, she catches the second a student hesitates and adjusts so taking a risk always feels safe.
True Belonging
A party that adventures together becomes a crew, and Megan's love of role-playing games, sci-fi, and all things geeky gives kids a shared world to belong to. For a child who has never found their people, a campaign full of others who love the same things can be the first real fit.
The right mentor can change everything.
You don't have to figure this out alone. See where Megan Hardy and the rest of the YSA village are teaching this season.
Explore Megan Hardy's Courses →COMMON QUESTIONS
Questions Parents Ask.
Everything you need to know about Young Scholars Academy.
What is Young Scholars Academy?
YSA is a WASC-accredited virtual village for gifted, twice-exceptional, and differently-wired students ages 5–25. We offer 200+ live online courses (from Minecraft Redstone Engineering to AP Psychology to Mock Trial) with a maximum of 6–8 students per course, taught by 20 hand-selected mentor teachers who are neurodivergent themselves. We serve 1,200+ families across 47+ states and 17 countries. This is not a marketplace. It's a school and a community.
How does it work?
During Fall and Spring semesters, courses meet once a week, live on Zoom, 50 minutes per session. During Summer, camps run Monday through Friday, one week at a time. When your child enrolls in 3 or more courses, they get free access to Homeroom Social Club — a weekly gathering with a consistent group of friends. Between courses, students hang out on our virtual campus where they walk as avatars, eat lunch together, and build real friendships with kids from around the world who finally get them.
Who is this for?
Gifted, twice-exceptional, and differently-wired students, including kids with ADHD, autism, giftedness, anxiety, dyslexia, and PDA. No diagnosis required. If your child is clever, quirky, and hasn't found their people yet, they belong here. About 65% of our families homeschool. The rest use us alongside traditional or charter schools.
Is this a low-demand environment?
Yes. Enrichment courses have no grades and no traditional homework. However, for-credit courses include assignments and letter grades. Cameras always optional. Challenge by choice. Students are never cold-called, never forced to participate, and never penalized for how they choose to engage. For students with PDA, demand avoidance, or anxiety, this is the difference between a program they resist and one they ask to log into.
How much does it cost?
Semester courses start at $624. Summer camps are $149–$169 per camp. Payment plans, sibling discounts, referral credits, and ESA/charter funding accepted. We're an approved vendor with 10+ state ESA programs.
Will my child actually make friends?
This is the part that surprises parents most. Your child joins a course about something they love and meets 6–8 kids who love it too. Same group all semester (or all week for camps). Parents tell us their children are more connected with this community than with anyone physically around them. 93% of families re-enroll because their kids won't let them stop.
What if it doesn't work?
100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Switch courses, receive a credit, or stop payments. No questions asked. We can offer this because we know what happens when these kids find their people.
What do parents get?
Virtual Coffee & Connect hours every couple of weeks. Regular Expert Talks with leaders like Seth Perler, Debbie Reber, and Dr. Temple Grandin. A Facebook group where families connect and support each other. Progress updates from mentors. And the ability to watch your child's courses anytime (just stay off camera). You're not just enrolling your child. You're joining a village.