2024 Students of Distinction
Jonathan Miles has dedication, determination and a drive for change
Gig Harbor Now is posting profiles featuring the Students of Distinction being honored by the Greater Gig Harbor Foundation. These students will be celebrated during a banquet from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, at Ocean5, 5268 Point Fosdick Dr.
Jonathan Miles
School: Gig Harbor High School
Category: Athletic Achievement
Some days, we feel like we can accomplish anything. On others, we can barely get out of bed.
Gig Harbor High School’s Jonathan Miles has learned well that you can only succeed if you’re willing to work when you don’t want to. Even the day after a tiring track meet, he makes time for the weight room, his schoolwork and his investment account, which he and his mother have slowly built up over his high school career. It’s tiring, he thinks, but worth the effort.
Jonathan Miles
Spreading joy, one smile at a time
Amidst all this hard work, Jonathan tries to show a positive, caring attitude toward everyone he meets. “You’ll always see me with a smile on my face,” he says. He thinks his openness to new experiences and his good-natured, yet competitive, demeanor have all helped him succeed in the classroom and on the track.
Championing change, embracing diversity
Jonathan says he sees a lot of conflict and dissatisfaction in his world, from protests over COVID policy to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. But he thinks these problems also present the opportunity to get more young people engaged in their world, and he would like to see more people his age in influential positions.
In college, he hopes to spend a lot of time listening to others’ perspectives so as to understand how diversity of opinion can help his peers to be more engaged and less divisive. After graduating, he hopes to move to the East Coast to pursue a career in finance, using the knowledge he has gained of investing to promote socially conscious business.
Paving the way for a brighter tomorrow
Committed to run for the University of Michigan, the journey doesn’t end with graduation; it’s only just beginning.
With dreams of participating in the Olympic trials for either USA or Canada (his second country of citizenship) and pursuing a career in finance, he remains steadfast in his pursuit of excellence and social responsibility. Armed with a profound understanding of the power of community and the importance of empathy, Jonathan is poised to make a lasting impact wherever life may take him. Jonathan will be running on the University of Michigan cross country and track and field teams.
Jonathan Miles
Category: Athletic Achievement
Parents: Louise Miles and Nathan Napolitano
Achievements/Activities: Cross Country: Varsity, TAC Cross Country athlete of the year, Olympia XC invite runner of the meet 2023, State qualifier, 5th at state, district championship winner; Track and Field: Varsity, Most improved athlete of the year, Nike Outdoor Nationals Qualifier
Favorite Teacher: “Mr. Eager – as a teacher he is insightful and makes the material as engaging as possible. He is exceptionally good at connecting with high schoolers and their humor to help engage us and help us learn the coursework. He is extremely supportive of me, and his passion has fueled me to put even more energy into improving myself as a runner. Overall, he has improved my life not only in the classroom but also outside of it, I would not have the opportunities I have without him.”
Best thing about high school: “My favorite part of high school is looking back and seeing how me, and my friends have changed. When we entered high school, we all thought we knew what we were in for but so much has changed for the good or bad. But it has made us into who we are today and made us smarter students and more mature people. I made mistakes and learned from them, and high school was the place to try different things and find who I was a person which is something that I am very grateful for.”