2025 Students of Distinction

Jonah Bergerson: A champion in the pool and in character

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: Peninsula High School

Category: Athletics

For Jonah Bergerson, swimming has never just been a sport – it’s been a discipline, a community, and a cornerstone of character development. A four-year varsity letterman and team captain at Peninsula High School, Jonah has made waves in every sense of the word, setting school records in the 50 freestyle, 100 backstroke, and 100 butterfly while anchoring relay teams and lifting his teammates through every season.

He’s earned the team MVP title four years running and was twice nominated for the Tacoma Pierce County Athlete of the Year. Yet it was his performance at the 2025 state meet that stands out as his proudest moment, placing second in the 100 fly and third in the 100 backstroke. Under the immense pressure of competition, Jonah swam personal bests and found clarity in the challenge. “I used the stress to fuel my performance,” he says, with a quiet confidence that only comes from experience.

Jonah Bergerson

Beyond the accolades, Jonah has built his success on resilience and commitment. With daily practices year-round, summer jobs, and nearly 300 volunteer hours, his high school years have been a masterclass in time management and personal growth. He’s given back to his school and community – managing the PHS girls swim and dive team, volunteering at local fundraisers, and supporting causes like Swim Across America and Swim for Shelter.

Jonah credits much of his growth to his coach, whose belief in him never wavered. “Her encouragement kept me going on the hardest days,” he says. That mentorship shaped not just a swimmer, but a leader who understands the power of consistency, humility, and showing up when it counts.

This fall, Jonah will join the Division I swim program at the University of the Pacific, where he plans to study Business Management. But no matter how far his strokes take him, the lessons of perseverance, gratitude, and grace under pressure will stay with him, and continue to define his journey, in and out of the water.