New Inductees Enter the Branford Education Hall of Fame

Induction Dinner was held Thursday April 28 at in Branford with ten new educators being inducted.  Hundreds gathered for a dinner honoring Kathleen Higgins, Joan Callahan, Thomas Grosh, Jr., Brian Festa, Nicholas Rinaldi, Dr. Theresa Baldino, James Petela, Kathleen Boyd, Alice Malcolm, and Mark Rabinowitz. Grosh, Festa and Malcolm were honored posthumously. Their awards were lovingly accepted by family members. 

Toastmaster, John O’Connor, shared how these 10 inductees were nominated by their peers on one of the coldest and snowiest days in January. In fact, he didn’t believe anyone would come to the nominating meeting because most of the state was closed down. Surprisingly he was wrong.  As he pulled into the parking lot, he was shocked by the number of cars there and the people waiting inside. 

Similar to their students at times, this crowd of educators, friends, and family had its moments of being reminded to quiet down. Presenter, Toni Cartisano addressed the crowd but got everyone to settle down and listen to the stories of educating and learning shared by the inductees. 

Although these educators all taught in different decades (some still do teach), at different grade levels and in buildings, the one theme that ran through all speeches was a love for teaching and a love for learning.  Some shared stories of past students who have stayed connected to their teachers after 20 or 30 years.  Many talked about not necessarily what they taught but what the students taught them.  One recent immigrant to America taught Mrs. Baldino how to stop and smell the roses.  She taught him to open the windows and touch his first snowflakes. Laughter and at times tears were shared by those sharing their stories and those listening. 

As the evening ended and Tisko Principal Mark Rabinowitz accepted his indoctrination into the hall of fame, he shared a story of a Chinese lady who carried water to her home from the stream each day.  She carried the water in two pots, one cracked and one not.  The perfect pot was proud of the way it carried water; the cracked pot had no self-worth until one day the Chinese lady showed the crack pot all the beautiful flowers it has watered.  The cracked pot realized what it had perceived to be imperfections were truly an individual’s gifts.  

Funny, educators always have a way of looking at the individual and seeing the unique gifts and beauty of their students. 

Congratulations to the 10 new inductees into the Branford’s Education Hall of Fame.