A star on and off the field

For all the success she has on the athletic field, it is her other extracurricular activities that bring her the most joy.

Griffin is the chapter president of Best Buddies at Duxbury High School.  Best Buddies is a global non-profit that aims at developing one-on-one relationships with volunteers and those who are intellectually and developmentally disabled.  There are over 1,400 Best Buddies chapters in high school and colleges around the world, and Duxbury High School implemented a program nine years ago.

"I think (Best Buddies) is one of the most if not the most important thing that I do," said Griffin.  "Lacrosse is probably second, but you don't really get the things out of lacrosse that you do out of Best Buddies."

This is the first year she has been president of the Duxbury chapter.  Her older sister Lauren has Down syndrome and Griffin got to see first-hand how Best Buddies helped her sister, but there were things that she thought needed improvement.

"Her 'Buddies' were OK, but not the greatest," she said.  "I saw what worked and what didn't and so that has helped me a lot."

As president, Griffin is in charge of the more than 100 students who are involved with the "Best Buddies" program.  She encourages the volunteers to call their partners once or twice a week, hang out with them at school or take them out on a week night to do some sort of activity twice a month. She also plans bowling nights, trips to Red Sox, Celtics or Bruins games and dances for the entire program.

"She definitely leads by example."

Griffin has been paired up with her "Buddy" Evan since sophomore year.  Evan is 19 years old, and he and Griffin talk on the phone and meet up frequently throughout the month.  This past summer, they were invited to pay respect to Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who was a big advocate for Best Buddies and the Special Olympics.

"It was pretty cool to have that offer extended to me and Evan," said Griffin, who also plays clarinet in the wind ensemble.

Griffin was not always the outgoing leader that she is today, said Griffin's guidance counselor Bruce Hamilton.  Hamilton worked with Griffin's sister Lauren when she was at Duxbury and remembered young Katie as the shy, quiet type.

"She was always a talented kid, but she was so quiet when I first knew her," said Hamilton, who met Griffin and her family seven years ago.  "Now she's grown into a leader and she's much more confident in her abilities."

While she does all this work off the field, she is very good on it.  Griffin will take her lacrosse skills to Colby College next year, and has thought about playing field hockey for them as well. 

She was named Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic for field hockey, and brought her team to the quarterfinals in the Div. 1 playoffs.

It's no coincidence that she chose Colby as her school for the next four years.  Colby has a Best Buddies program and Griffin has every intention of being a leader there too.

"This is what I do," she said with a laugh.