Grays Harbor Spotlights

We all can think of someone that lights up a room, just by being in it. That is what Peyton Poler did everywhere she went. Whether it was into her home, school, fastpitch field or into her beloved second grade classroom at Rainier Elementary, Peyton shined like the star she was.

Growing up in a large and loving family, Peyton fell in love with sports at a young age. Fastpitch was her favorite and you would be hard pressed to find someone in town that doesn't remember her signature braids behind the plate as catcher, leading her team to three state championships throughout her high school years.

She went on to play in college where she developed another love- teaching. Loved by all her second grade students at Rainier Elementary School, her classroom was a haven of patience, curiosity, and respect. She was adored by all her students (22 in her inaugural class and 18 this year).

To teach was Peyton's calling in life, and she managed to do that both in the classroom and on the field. While in college, she coached multiple youth soccer and fastpitch teams in the Puget Sound area, and she remained a frequent mainstay in Monte dugouts, instilling a legacy of passion, hard work, and integrity in all who played for her.

Peyton loved others with reckless abandon and to honor her amazing life, her family set up the Peyton Poler Memorial Fund to help Montesano graduates achieve their educational and career aspirations.

Peyton's father Steve said of creating the scholarship fund: "Peyton's scholarship fund allows us to support two things Peyton loved.  The communities she grew up in and taught in and the students from those communities to support them in chasing their dreams.  The fund is a great way for us to honor her legacy in those communities."

Thank you to the Poler Family for honoring Peyton's amazing life by changing the lives of local students.

‍