2025 Students of Distinction

Jack Petrie: Reaching for the stars through physics and discovery

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

Jack Petrie has never shied away from asking big questions – the kind that demand curiosity, patience, and a deep dive into the unknown. As he graduates from Gig Harbor High School and prepares to study physics and astronomy at the Honors College at Western Washington University, Jack brings with him a resume shaped by passion, research, and discovery.

Throughout high school, Jack immersed himself in science and technology coursework, including Aerospace Technology, Biomedical Technology, Game Programming, Engineering and Design, and multiple AP and college-level math and science classes. But it was his work as a team lead on the GHHS Astronomy Observation Team that became a defining experience. Using advanced telescopic equipment and scientific imaging, Jack played a central role in documenting and sharing astronomical data – work that required not only technical skills but clear communication and collaboration.

Jack Petrie

His proudest academic accomplishment came in the form of an original research paper titled A New Reformation of the Kardashev Scale, in which Jack proposed a more refined method for measuring the development of alien civilizations. His fascination with SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) has deepened throughout high school, fueled by new developments in radio astronomy and the promise of future discoveries. For Jack, the possibility of contributing to the search for technosignatures (evidence of intelligent life beyond Earth) is both thrilling and purposeful.

Jack’s vision for the future is equally ambitious. He’s especially excited about the emerging progress in positive energy release fusion reactions, which he believes could unlock other high-energy technologies that were once thought unattainable. He hopes to play a role in these breakthroughs and apply them to the field of radio astronomy.

Jack credits Mr. Wolgemuth – his physics teacher and Observation Team mentor – with being a guiding force throughout his journey. “He’s one of the most genuine people I know,” Jack shares. “He invested in my learning and created an environment where long, thoughtful conversations were welcomed.” That sense of belonging and academic rigor is what Jack treasures most about Gig Harbor High School.

With a grounded intellect and a mind that sees the stars not just as distant lights but as puzzles waiting to be solved, Jack Petrie is a student whose future lies far beyond the horizon.