2025 Students of Distinction
Henry Davis: A future Navy officer with an eye on innovation
Gig Harbor Now is posting profiles featuring the Students of Distinction being honored by the Greater Gig Harbor Foundation. Peers, teachers or parents nominate students, who must be a graduating senior at a Peninsula School District school. A panel of community leaders selects students to be honored in one of seven categories: academics; athletics; career and technical excellence; community service; music, arts and drama; overcoming adversity; and science and technology.
These students will be celebrated during a banquet from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at Ocean5, 5268 Point Fosdick Dr.
School: Gig Harbor High School
Category: Science & Technology
From building 3D printers as a child to earning his FAA drone certification, Henry Davis has always approached science and technology with curiosity, focus, and hands-on dedication. Now, as he prepares to attend the United States Naval Academy with plans to study aerospace engineering, Henry brings with him not only a record of academic excellence but a deeply rooted passion for understanding how things work – and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
His love for engineering traces back to time spent beside his father, an electrical engineer, soldering circuit boards and assembling electronics. For his 7th birthday, Henry received his first soldering iron, a tool that would ignite a lifelong fascination with design and functionality. By 10, he was building a 3D printer from a kit, and by middle school, he had launched a small business selling his own niche animal-inspired earrings through an Etsy shop. That venture soon grew into an international 3D printing operation and taught him the value of entrepreneurship, creativity, and persistence.
Henry Davis
At Gig Harbor High School, Henry continued to explore the overlap between learning and real-world application. He enrolled in science and technology courses ranging from Physics to AP Research and Drone Certification. He earned his FAA Part 107 Commercial Drone License and spent time flying and building FPV drones. As a team leader on the GHHS Observation Team, he worked hands-on with aerospace tech, while also taking part in advanced coursework like AP Calculus, Honors Chemistry, and UW Anatomy and Physiology.
Outside the classroom, Henry serves as a maintenance technician for the Gig Harbor Canoe and Kayak Racing Team, where he repairs carbon fiber boats using gel coat, fiberglass, and resin. This role – along with competing for Team USA at the Olympic Hopes Regatta in Hungary – has further solidified his discipline and technical skills, as well as his commitment to excellence in everything he does.
One of the academic experiences that shaped him most was AP Research with Mrs. Poole. “She completely changed the way I saw writing and research,” Henry says. “She encouraged me to push boundaries, even when that meant growing a colony of crickets for my research.”
Henry looks forward to his Capstone Project at the Naval Academy, where he will collaborate on a team to build and innovate within his field. It’s a challenge he’s already preparing for, drawing from a lifetime of self-directed learning and a desire to contribute meaningfully to aerospace innovation and national defense.
With a blend of intellect, technical aptitude, and steady leadership, Henry Davis is poised to leave a lasting impact, both in the skies and beyond.