A former Gates Chili High School student has established a scholarship fund to honor the memory of William “Bill” Polito, who was his teacher, mentor, and friend for 50 years. The scholarship fund will be administered by the Rochester Area Community Foundation (RACF) and will provide one $1,500 annual award for an eligible Gates Chili student.
For 30 years, William “Bill” Polito taught English at the Gates Chili High School. He did not start college with the intent of becoming a teacher, but he was well read, smart, tenacious, loyal, and curious. He realized these traits would help guide him to a life he could be proud of and that would sustain his interests as life unfolded.
Bill spent much of his youth working jobs ranging from gas station attendant to working for trucking companies loading and unloading freight. He could have easily made a living in some of those jobs, but he wanted to be the first in his family to attend college. In 1960, he enrolled at Macalester College in St Paul, Minnesota, with the thought of becoming a lawyer.
School was expensive, so he spent his summers and breaks working to save money to pay his tuition and living expenses.
It was during his college years that Bill became the individual and teacher that so many friends and students considered one of their best. School wasn’t always easy because he had to work so hard to pay tuition and living expenses. Classwork would interfere with his job duties, but he persevered because he believed in his choices and made it work.
To offset living expenses, he roomed with people in similar situations, making many lifelong friends as a result. When a course was difficult, he worked the hours necessary to pass, and worked with his professors to make sure he was working at the necessary level.
As an English teacher, Bill had the opportunity to use his mind on a daily basis. All teachers must work with people from all levels of society, all levels of intelligence, and all personality types – this is where Bill found the most joy in teaching. He recognized that in every student there was a capable and successful individual with their own thoughts, hopes and dreams.
Bill valued all of his students, especially individuals others might have already given up on. A’s are nice to have, but a person is more than their grades. What is their background, what obstacles have they had to overcome, do they treat others with respect, do they work hard? Bill often reached out to these students to try and encourage their personal growth.
This scholarship has been established to help a student Bill would have striven to help. The ideal candidate will be a tenacious, thoughtful, and industrious individual.
To be eligible for the scholarship, a student must be a graduating senior at Gates Chili High School who:
•Has a cumulative GPA 2.5 or higher;
•Is accepted into a post-secondary education program such as an accredited undergraduate, vocational, or technical post-secondary institution;
•Demonstrates financial need; and
•Is hardworking and demonstrates genuine empathy and perseverance.
The application period opened December 1, 2024 and runs through February 28, 2025. For scholarship details and to apply, visit https://www.racf.org/scholarship-summary/william-bill-polito-memorial-scholarship/.
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