Lou Marchello Memorial Scholarship

Funded by

Marchello

Eligibility Requirements

Education Level:

High school senior

School Name:

Polson High School

State:

Montana

College Plans:

Will attend a two or four-year college

Education Level:

School Name:

State:

College Plans:

High school senior

Polson High School

Montana

Will attend a two or four-year college

Lou Marchello was an incredible man who lived in and served the Polson community for most of his life.

From owning businesses on Main Street to organizing many events in the community, to serving on various committees, Lou was part of the fabric of Polson. He was a member of multiple organizations dedicated to helping the community, he was on the town council, and he later served as the Mayor of Polson. Lou spent his life helping Polson become a better community for everyone to live and grow.

This scholarship seeks to honor the life of Lou Marchello by supporting students in his town as they prepare to attend college.

Any high school senior at Polson High School in Montana may apply for this scholarship opportunity if they will attend a two or four-year college.

To apply, tell us what you would do to make the City of Polson a better place to live.

Selection Criteria:

Ambition, Drive, Impact

Scholarships for High School Seniors Community Service Scholarships High School Scholarships Montana Scholarships Essay Scholarships Memorial Scholarships

Published March 31, 2025

Essay Topic

Please tell us what you would do to make the City of Polson a better place to live.

100–250 words

Winners and Finalists

April 2026

Winners

Finalists

Winning Applications

Elsie Detert

Polson High SchoolCharlo, MT

Polson is an amazing place. I enjoy going to school here. I love the sense of community that Polson offers, whether it be the Parade of Lights, the Farmer's Market on Friday afternoons, the Cherry Festival, or the Flathead Lake Festival of Arts. The one thing that I would do to make the city of Polson a better place to live is to encourage the younger generation to become involved. I would like younger people to become interested in serving on boards and committees. I would like to see people volunteer to help organize events. I would like people to show up for community events! It seems that in the hustle and bustle of life, nobody wants to commit to things till the very last minute, if at all! They keep their options open in case better things pop up. The fun things that Polson offers would not happen without volunteers. More people need to volunteer so that the ones that have been doing it forever don't get burned out! The seniors at the highschool have to do senior projects to graduate and service is part of it. Maybe adding things like serving on boards and committees as a requirement for graduation would be good. I think once students experienced being on boards and committees they wouldn't be so intimidated and find it's not so bad. If more people became involved in the workings of Polson, it would be a better place to live.

Esther McIntee

Polson High SchoolPolson, MT

I moved to Polson and started my first year of public school in 2023. The first kids to talk to me seemed nice, but when they offered for me to skip class and vape in the bathroom with them, I was taken off guard. The school environment I grew up in normalized drug abuse and greatly impacted my mental health. Many of my friends used vaping, drinking, or marijuana as a way to cope with stress and unaddressed mental health concerns. To make Polson a better place to live, I plan to study child psychology at the University of Montana and return to provide early mental health support, helping youth address substance use and cope with mental health struggles. During my first week of public school, I tried vaping with my new friends. The habit quickly affected my mental health, causing depression, severe anxiety, and a disconnect from my faith and family. After I quit vaping at the end of my first school year, I was able to see the effects substance abuse had on me and others. Many of my friends, because of their vaping habits, were struggling inside and outside of school, and I was able to see just how dangerous these substances can be. Seeing the impact drugs had on my school community, I was inspired to pursue child psychology so I can return to Polson to provide prevention programs and support for children and teens facing mental health and substance use challenges.