2026 Students of Distinction

Ashton Smith: Finding a voice and discovering confidence

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. Wednesday, May 20, at Ocean5, 5268 Pt. Fosdick Dr.

School: Peninsula High School

Category: Overcoming adversity

For Ashton Smith, perseverance has rarely looked loud or obvious. Instead, it has been built quietly over years of overcoming challenges that many people around him never fully saw — learning to communicate in a world that often felt difficult to navigate, rebuilding confidence in school, and continuing to pursue passions even when self-doubt lingered close behind.

Diagnosed with Apraxia of Speech as a young child, Ashton spent years in intensive speech therapy, struggling at times to communicate clearly or even say his own name. Alongside speech therapy, he received additional academic and behavioral support throughout elementary school while working through ADHD and learning challenges.

Ashton Smith

For many years, school felt discouraging. But over time, Ashton slowly began rediscovering confidence in both academics and himself. After transitioning back into public school and eventually joining Running Start, he made remarkable academic progress — catching up in math coursework while simultaneously earning more than 60 college credits before high school graduation.

Today, Ashton is on the Dean’s List at Olympic College and continues pushing himself academically while balancing his growing passion for theatre and acting.

“Theater is one of the few places where success feels earned,” Ashton says.

Through the drama program at Peninsula High Schools, Ashton found spaces where he could challenge himself creatively and continue developing confidence in his own voice. Recently, he qualified to compete nationally at the International Thespian Festival after a strong performance at the Washington State Thespy Competition.

Despite ongoing struggles with self-confidence and communication, Ashton remains deeply reflective and determined to keep growing. “I know challenges help people grow,” he says. “I’m not perfect, and I never will be, but I can continue becoming better.”

What stands out most about Ashton’s journey is not simply academic achievement or artistic success — it is his resilience. Even through years of frustration, uncertainty, and personal obstacles, he continued showing up for himself and his future.

“I know things won’t always feel difficult forever,” he says. “The future will become better.”

And through every challenge he has faced, Ashton has continued moving steadily toward that future with honesty, courage, and determination.