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02/10/2022 11:00 PMBranford's Education Hall of Fame (BEHF), which each year honors 10 individuals who have made significant contributions to education, announces the 2022 induction dinner has been, again, postponed because of the COVID-19 virus. BEHF's induction dinner was postponed in 2020 and 2021 for the same reason. The next BEHF induction dinner will take place on April 27, 2023 at Woodwinds. Further information will be forthcoming.
Since its birth in 1998, this organization has honored over 230 individuals as it has taken a broad view of the term "education" by recognizing 10 individuals each year whose special work has enhanced, expanded and facilitated learning. While BEHF has honored teachers and public school administrators, it has also inducted others. Just a few of the many non-teachers who have been recognized include Timothy Blackstone, who gave Branford the Blackstone Library; Joe Trapasso, Branford's former Recreation Director, who expanded sports competition for women and developed the "Golden Agers Club," a forerunner to the community's senior citizens' organizations; and Branford Counseling Center's Patricia Andriole. Others include Monsignor Cornelius Teulings, the founder of St. Mary's School, Peter Borgemeister, an environmental activist, Rev. Timothy Gillett, founder of the Academy on the Green, Janice Gruendel, children's advocate, and Branford's Florence Wald, founder of the Hospice Movement in the United States; and so many more, in the spirit of the African adage, "it takes a village to raise a child."
The 2020/2021/2023 BEHF inductees are: Elaine Brainerd, Branford High School (BHS) nurse/educator, who is being honored posthumously; Tracey Amodio, elementary physical education teacher; Beatrice Brown, Branford elementary teacher and paraprofessional; Robert Gaiser, BHS administrator and first director of the Horizons program; Rich and Leslie Hurlburt, School Yard Habitat at Branford Early Learning Center (former Pine Orchard School); Jean Kelley, Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) educator and teacher and founder of Brian's Hope; Patricia Mooney, Walsh Intermediate School (WIS) language arts teacher; Diane Pappacoda, Branford Early Learning Center teacher/director; Susan Rood, WIS world language teacher and Suzanne Serviss, BHS and WIS school social worker.