Gift helps students
Effort in honor of Billy Wardell
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » The Wardell family knew they needed to make sure people would remember Billy Wardell.
More than 1,000 people showed up to this remarkable boy’s funeral in March 2016, but the Wardells didn’t know the extent of Billy’s impact on his classmates at Maple Avenue Middle School, and in the Greenfield Center community.
“He was a very special kid. He was full of zip. He was full of fun. He loved everybody. We had heard afterwards that he helped kids that were being on picked on. Maybe someone with a learning disability, or someone maybe with not enough money,” said his grandmother Sherry Wardell.
Upon hearing similar stories, the Wardell family told a few people they had better do something to make sure Billy is not forgotten.
“People said, ‘When you start something, I want to give.’ We never asked for any money. People just started mailing [Billy’s] dad or us a check,” said Sherry. “Anywhere from $10 to $1,000 was coming on. John Deere corporation even sent a check. It’s been amazing.”
The Wardells envisioned a memorial gift for eight sixth-grade students every year who embodied Billy’s character, kindness and unselfishness.
“It has nothing to do with most popular. The teachers pick out eight students. They are the ones who have been kind all year,” said Sherry Wardell. “They are the ones who have mentored all year, have stopped the bullying, or tried to step in to stop the bullying.”
This year Sam Billok, Elizabeth Burcalow, Gregory McCauley, Abigail Bundy, Christopher Thiel, Jenna Kinisky, Carmen Guzman and Jaedyn Middlebrook each received a $50 gift card to Target to be used on school supplies.
The memorial gift began last year, and it will extend until 2022 — Billy’s high school graduation year.
Sixth-grade students in the district are eligible each year, and in 2022 the family plans to give two $3,000 scholarships for two high school seniors from Billy’s grade who have kept Billy’s mission alive most honorably.
“We have enough money right now to carry us through until Billy would graduate,” said Sherry Wardell. “It’s incredible. It just pulls me closer to this boy that we still cry about frequently, but we can’t believe the people that have given. And we have never asked for anything. We didn’t just take up a collection and keep the money. There are kids every year benefitting from this.”
Scott Singer assistant principal for sixth grade said the memorial gifts mean a lot to the school district.
“These are leaders within our building. The teachers select the eight students, so from each academic team they select a student for showing kindness, gratitude and those students who stick up for others,” said Singer. “It means a lot
to us.” The Wardell’s have made it possible that Billy’s life will be remembered long after he tragically died in an ATV accident.
“He was just an allaround good kid; and my husband and I are his grandparents and he holds a very special place in our lives, but I also can see we were very special to him,” said Sherry Wardell. “It was like my husband and I were king and queen for 12 years and two months. He was respectful. If he got a little bit out of line, you’d just correct him a little bit and he’d just straighten up again. He always loved coming to our house. Just a good kid.”