Nominations Welcomed for Annual Philhower Award for Elementary Teacher

Michael Miller, President of the Westfield Rotary Club, announced that Monday, April 1, is the deadline for nominations for the 21st annual Charles Philhower Fellowship award designated for a full-time elementary teacher in the Westfield Public Schools.

Letters of nomination are invited from interested citizens, parents, students and Westfield public school staff members and should be addressed to:  Charles Philhower Fellowship Committee of the Westfield Rotary Club, c/o Office of the Superintendent of Schools, 302 Elm Street, Westfield, NJ 07090, or e-mailed to rotaryphilhower@westfieldnjk12.org.

Nominations should specify ways in which the teacher has demonstrated outstanding teaching, interest in children and continued pursuit of professional growth.  The teacher must be a full-time faculty member in grades K – 5 in the Westfield Public Schools for a minimum of five years.  The Fellowship recipient will be honored at a Rotary luncheon and at a Westfield Board of Education meeting, both scheduled for May 7, and will receive a Rotary grant to further professional growth or to enhance classroom activities for students.

The award was instituted in 1993 by the Westfield Rotary Club to recognize the importance of teaching in the elementary grades and to honor Westfield Rotarian and School Superintendent Charles Philhower.  Mr. Philhower, who died in 1962, was Supervising Principal (Superintendent) of Westfield Public Schools for 30 years – from 1917 to 1947 – and was President of the Westfield Rotary Club in 1929-30. As Rotary President, he instituted the club’s annual scholarship awards to graduating Westfield students.                                            

Members of the Selection Committee will include two Rotarians, two elementary school principals and a past Philhower recipient.  Past Philhower fellowship recipients include Frank Uveges, Diane Eisen, Diana Collins, Karen Geddis, Catherine McGarry, Michael Burgess, Karen Yula, Mary Dura, Stacie DeChristopher, Michele Moise, Carole Kling, Anna Jane Sabbagh, Trista Pollard, Eva Morton, Angela LaCarrubba, Claudia Andreski, Bette Tuthill, Carol Joyce, Carol A. Mastroianni, and Susan Feldman Glick.

“The Westfield Rotary Club’s Philhower Fellowship continues an outstanding tradition of excellent cooperation with our schools for the benefit of our children,” stated Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Margaret Dolan.