Education

Two Gig Harbor High School alumni earned their Army Airborne wings on June 23, 2023, at Fort Moore (formerly known as Fort Benning) in Columbus, Georgia. Ethan Baker, a 2020 Gig Harbor grad and a rising senior in the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Gonzaga University, and Zach Standifer, a ’21 Gig Harbor grad

Nine students from Gig Harbor and Henderson Bay high schools earned Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) from the Rotary Clubs of Gig Harbor Midday and Rotary North this month. The award recognizes students who are community and school leaders, as seen in their dedication to community service. Local students earning the honor include Cassius Via,

Captain SeaHawk strikes again. In his quest to aid graduating seniors at Peninsula High School, Wallace Watts of Gig Harbor — known as Captain SeaHawk for his over-the-top fan persona — raised more than $3,000 earlier this month to obliterate lunch debt for the Class of 2023. Seniors must pay all fines and fees to

A record number of high school students in the Peninsula School District earned varsity letters in community service this school year. Sixty-four students spent a minimum of 100 hours helping others in various ways throughout the county. In years past, the requirement for receiving a varsity letter was 145 hours per school year. But, after

If we live long enough, some of us will have the chance to reinvent ourselves, and live several lives before we die. Hugh McMillan was one of those people. Most of those who attended his memorial service on June 18 knew him as the energetic old guy with a camera, who loved to talk and push

Soon-to-be graduates from Peninsula High School gathered Wednesday in their green caps and gowns, peering around the front entryway of Minter Creek Elementary School. “Everything looks so small,” one in the group remarked. Moments later, the students would take a victory lap around the school where most of them spent their formative years. It’s a

Since 2018, residents of Heron’s Key senior living community have awarded scholarships to local high school seniors to continue their education. This year, twelve students each received $1,500 scholarships. That’s up from $375 each for eight students when the program began. Qualifications This year’s recipients represent diverse backgrounds, interests and aspirations. They were honored at

Gideon Eilers and his late grandfather used to listen to the Beach Boys before his death in 2020 from complications of Alzheimer’s disease. “He grew up listening to the them, and it not only gave him comfort at that time, it would help him remember things,” said Eilers, a senior at Gig Harbor High School

Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday signed into law a bill recognizing school districts that show commitment to military students and their families. House Bill 1346 creates a Purple Star designation for districts that demonstrate support for students whose lives and education are often disrupted by family deployments. Peninsula School District Superintendent Krestin Bahr and school