Bill Gates

by Dylan from San Diego

(http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/bill-gate ())

William Henry Gates III, or Bill Gates, is most commonly known as "the head of Microsoft", or "the richest man in the world". However, many people are not aware that he is a very special hero. Early in life he became fascinated with technology. Around the age of 13, his obsession with computers was sparked when a local technology company brought computers to his school for students to use. Gates found an instant love for computers that has lasted his entire life. While at school, he met his future business partner, Paul Allen, and the two of them became best friends. By the time they graduated from high school in 1973, Gates and Allen had already sold a company that monitored traffic signals for $20,000. Gates attended Harvard, but later dropped out of college to work on his programming, and later created the business with Allen, known today as Microsoft. While he has stepped down from leading Microsoft presently, he is focused on working closely with his wife on providing philanthropic support across the world through his charity, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Together, they donate billions of dollars to organizations and causes around the world. As a result, Bill Gates is a true hero due to his generosity, hard work, and inspirational efforts.

(http://venturesafrica.com/the-road-to-philanthropy ())

Bill Gates has many admirable qualities, but one in particular that makes him a hero is his incredible generosity. Even though Gates is a billionaire, he has committed to giving the majority of his wealth away in his lifetime. "With his wife, Melinda, he launched the William H. Gates Foundation (renamed the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 1999) in 1994 to fund global health programs as well as projects in the Pacific Northwest." (Encyclopedia Britannica). Through the Foundation and the billions of dollars at its disposal, Gates and his wife wanted to help solve the world's problems. To date, the Foundation has donated close to 27 billion dollars worldwide, and people such as Warren Buffett, another billionaire, have also taken the pledge to use their money to help make the world a better place. Through the years, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have positively impacted children and adults all over the world. "Pledges have included $1 billion over 20 years to fund college scholarships for about 1,000 minority students, $750 million over 5 years to help launch the Global Fund for Children's Vaccines, $50 million to help the World Health Organization's efforts to eradicate polio, and $3 million to help prevent the spread of AIDS among young people in South Africa." (Encyclopedia of World Biography). Because of his philanthropic work, Bill Gates is a hero and is known worldwide as great humanitarian. Ever since Gates stepped down from the leadership of Microsoft, he has focused his primary efforts to make the world a better and safer place. Bill Gates is an amazing person who has done so many great things in his life to help others. All the money he has donated to charity is helping the world little by little, and making him a true hero. Throughout his life, Gates has always been a hard worker who has been dedicated to his projects. Being a hard worker is one of the qualities that contributes to his heroism. Gates has always been called a hard worker by his peers, and this became evident when Gates' hard work led him to radically change the computer world and beyond. "Meanwhile, the personal computer -- and Microsoft software -- revolutionized the worlds of work and recreation. Microsoft became an enormous international corporation, and by 1995, its Chairman, CEO and largest shareholder, Bill Gates, was the world's richest man, a title he has retained almost every year since." (Achievement.org). Today, Microsoft is one of the largest and most revolutionary companies in the world, and it is due to Gates' hard work. He continues to lead on, and better the planet. Ever since Gates' was a young kid, he has always been a hard worker, and it all payed off when he was 31 years old. "He became a paper billionaire in 1986, and within a decade his net worth had reached into the tens of billions of dollars." (Encyclopedia Britannica). Bill Gates worked his way up to the top, all the way to a billion dollars. Today, Gates' net worth is around 79 billion dollars, and none of it would have been possible without his hard work and determination. Nothing can get done without hard work, and Bill Gates knows that. He has worked his way up to the wealthiest man in the world, but he's not one that would slack off even after that.

(http://history-computer.com/ModernComputer/Softwar ())

Bill Gates is not only a hero, but he is also an inspiring person. It's no wonder why, when he has done so many good things for others in his life. From an early age, Gates knew what he wanted to do with his life, and started to make it happen at an early age. "Soon Gates and his friends were working part-time and summers, writing computer programs for large businesses around the Seattle area." (Achievement.org). Gates and his friends were giving up their summers to work, and coding computer programs, something a lot of kids wouldn't do. He wanted to make a career for himself even when he was young, and that inspires many young kids and students to do the same today. When Gates was getting older, he knew it was time to step down from running Microsoft completely, but instead of retiring, he did something that would make a difference. "After a short transition period, Gates relinquished day-to-day oversight of Microsoft in June 2008-although he remained chairman of the board-in order to devote more time to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In February 2014 he stepped down as chairman but continued to serve as a board member." (Encyclopedia Britannica). Instead of just retiring, and just living off of his many riches, Gates decided to work on his charity more. Gates wanted to make a difference, even after his years at Microsoft, which is inspiring, as most people would just retire, and keep all the money for themselves. Gates inspires so many people to make a difference in this world, and has done so many great things himself. He will go down in history as a true hero. Working his way to 79 billion dollars, donating half his wealth to charity, and working during his summers on programming, Gates has become someone that is admired across the world. His work has helped to make eradication of malaria one step closer, and he has introduced technology into schools across continents. Bill Gates has shown time and time again that he is an incredible human being. Generosity, hard work, and inspirational efforts, are all traits that emphasize why Bill Gates is a one of a kind hero.

Works Cited

"Bill Gates." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, Web. 02 May 2016.

"Bill Gates Biography." Bill Gates Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2016.

"Bill Gates." Bloomsbury Business Library - Business Thinkers & Management Giants (2007):

11. Biography Reference Center. Web. 10 May 2016.

"Bill Gates." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Mar. 2016. Web. 10

May 2016.

"Bill Gates." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Biography in Context. Web.

2 May 2016.

"Biography of Bill Gates -." Biography Online. Web. 04 May 2016

"Gates, Bill." Britannica Biographies (2012): 1. Biography Reference Center. Web. 4 May 2016.

Page created on 5/18/2016 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 5/18/2016 12:00:00 AM

The beliefs, viewpoints and opinions expressed in this hero submission on the website are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, viewpoints and opinions of The MY HERO Project and its staff.

Bill Gates

by Dylan from San Diego

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