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 to join the BEHF Class of 2018. The public is encouraged to submit nominations to be received no later than January 26, 2018. Details on criteria for nominations, and an online 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.

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, with bookplate inscriptions placed in library books the organization donates annually to Branford Public School libraries. Since it’s inception, some 1200 books have been provided.

All 2018 BEHF nominations will be discussed during a selection meeting set for Tuesday, Feb. 6, 7 p.m. in the community room at Branford Fire Headquarters (45 North Main St.). All-volunteer BEHF has always accepted and recorded all nominations from the public. Each year, new nominations are put through a democratic voting process, with inductees selected by public vote during the open selection meeting. BEHF invites all interested community members to attend the Feb. 6 selection meeting, said committee member Carol Martens.

“It’s important to come and vote for the many worthy candidates,” said Martens.

All members of the BEHF Class of 2018 will be honored at a celebration set for Thursday, April 26 at Woodwinds Restaurant in Branford. Now in its 21st year, the first BEHF 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, during BEFH’s 20th anniversary dinner which inducted 11 new members, BEHF also unveiled the Murray/Stolzman Service Award. Its first recipient was Diane George, a Walsh Intermediate School media specialist for over 30 years who had recently retired. For over 12 years, George has also volunteered to coordinate the gathering of books for BEHF’s Susan Spear Book Project.

Future recipients of the service award will be also deserving individuals who help carry on the BEHF legacy started by Murray and Stolzman.