Andrea Gagliano

Gig Harbor High School senior achieves high standards through determination and hard work

Andrea Gagliano has enjoyed math since she was in elementary school, and she’s been captivated by other sciences, like physics and engineering. She is especially attracted by real-life applications that show how concepts work and relate to each other.

Teachers describe Gagliano as a phenomenal learner and a passionate, enthusiastic student who is self-disciplined and mature. She has a 3.92 grade-point average that includes 15 advanced-placement and honors classes.

“Upon high school completion, Andrea will have exceeded core requirements in all subject areas, including seven years of math (two of which were completed in middle school),” GHHS counselor Matthew Westby said. “Andrea displays exceptional skills across the palette.”

Gagliano was accepted to attend the MIT women’s technology program in mechanical engineering last summer. There, she received two awards for her projects.

“She was extremely serious about her work and was obviously in the program to learn as much as she could,” said Barbara Hughey, associate director of the MIT women’s technology program.

Gagliano’s talents aren’t limited to academics. She’s also a devoted athlete who played on the school’s volleyball and tennis teams.

“Sports are my release,” she said.

After being cut from the volleyball team during her sophomore year, she played with a club and managed the junior varsity team at the school instead of giving up.

“I wanted to prove I can do better,” she said.

When Gagliano returned the following year, she made the varsity team.

While on the team during her junior year, she continued to manage the JV team.

“Because of this selfless behavior, Andrea was twice selected for the ‘Service to Others’ award by her coach,” Westby said.

In tennis, Gagliano was the Tides’ No. 1 singles player this year. She has played tennis on a recreational level since she was young, and she said she took private lessons so she could improve. Gagliano also trains with a club on the weekends.

“I know if I have the potential, the only way to get there is (to) use determination and work hard,” she said.

Gagliano said her highest achievement was when she received the Girl Scouts’ Gold Award, the organization’s highest rank.

“Andrea balances her full life and never lets one commitment interfere with another,” GHHS math teacher Phyllis Payne said. “She has excellent sense of organization. She is trustworthy with a high sense of integrity for all she sets out to do.”

Andrea Gagliano

Education: Senior, Gig Harbor High School

GPA: 3.92

Parents: Rick and Jeanne Gagliano

Activities/achievements: Student of the Month; tennis team coaches award; Masonic Lodge Outstanding Achievement Award; MIT summer program; Girl Scouts Gold Award; volleyball team Servant Leader award; peer math tutor; National Honor Society; girl scout troop treasurer; Close-Up program trip to Washington, D.C.

Favorite teacher: Phyllis Payne, “because she teaches calculus in a way that has made it very easy for me to understand, which has led to my deep passion for the subject,” Gagliano said.

Best thing about high school: The multitude of challenging math and science advanced-placement classes, “which allows me to earn college credit so that I can get a jumpstart on my college studies,” she said.