Do you know an outstanding person who has applied their skill, expertise and enthusiasm to facilitate impactful learning benefiting the Branford community? If so, the Branford Education Hall of Fame (BEHF) wants to hear from you.

Nominations are now open for candidates who will be selected to join the BEHF Class of 2019. The public is encouraged to submit nominations no later than Wednesday, January 30, 2019. Details on criteria for nominations, and an online nomination submission form can be found at the BEHF website here

As always, all-volunteer BEFH members stress that Hall of Fame nominees do not have to be education professionals. Posthumous nominations are also accepted.

Names and biographies of every person ever inducted into BEFH can be viewed at the website, noted BEFH member Toni Cartisano.  More details on each inductee can be found at www.branfordeducationhalloffame.com

While there is no bricks and mortar Hall of Fame, the qualities and qualifications of every BEHF inductee are forever recorded and available to view at the BEHF website. BEHF also recognizes inductees through its Susan Spear Book Project. Each  year, names of each new members are inscribed on bookplates of library books the organization donates annually to Branford Public School libraries. Since the book project's inception, some 1200 books have been provided.

Members of the public are also invited to participate in the vote to select 2019 BEHF members from all nominations received. The voting will take place during a selection meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 6 p.m. in the community room at Branford Fire Headquarters (45 North Main St.).

Once selected, all members of the BEHF Class of 2019 will be honored at a celebration set this year for April 25 at Woodwinds Restaurant in Branford. The first BEHF induction was held at Woodwinds in 1998, under the guidance of BEHF co-founders and retired Branford Public School educators Thomas A. Murray and Peter D. Stolzman.

Both Murray and Stolzman were inducted into BEHF in 2005. In 2017 BEHF also unveiled the Murray/Stolzman Service Award. Recipients of the service award are deserving individuals who help carry on the BEHF legacy started by Murray and Stolzman.