Vito Martino Memorial Scholarship Fund

Born in Mazara del Vallo, Sicily, Vito Martino immigrated to the United States as a young person determined to learn, contribute, and build a better future. Despite the challenges of learning English and adjusting to life in a new country, he excelled—earning a perfect score on the New York State math Regents exam, a moment that shaped the rest of his academic path. He dedicated his professional life to public education in New York City, serving first as a math teacher, then as an assistant principal, and ultimately as a principal. Throughout his career, he championed students who, like him, arrived in this country with hopes, questions, and enormous potential. He believed deeply in hard work, fairness, and the transformative possibility of education—and he passed these values on to his family, colleagues, and the countless students whose lives he touched.