McKinley 4th grade teacher Branice Moore is the 2024 recipient of the Rotary Club of Westfield’s Philhower Fellowship in recognition of outstanding teaching at the elementary school level. At the same time, Westfield High School paraprofessional Maria Martinez received the Steengrafe Award, introduced last year by the Rotary Club to recognize non-certificated staff for their dedication and commitment.
Moore and Martinez received the news on May 6 as Superintendent Dr. Raymond González paid surprise visits to their schools.
“On behalf of the Board of Education and the entire school district, I congratulate Mrs. Moore and Mrs. Martinez on this well-deserved honor from the Rotary Club. Their dedication to our students and passionate commitment to education is an inspiration to us all,” says González. “Mrs. Moore’s differentiated teaching strategies and Mrs. Martinez's tireless work in student support services have made a profoundly positive impact on countless young lives in our district.”
Moore joined the Westfield Public School District as a 2nd grade teacher at McKinley in 2014, moving to a 4th grade classroom three years later where she has taught ever since.
“While there are many things I enjoy about teaching, what I love the most is the ability to not only shape the minds of learners, but also to help to create great, well-rounded humans,” says Moore.
Letters of nomination for Moore from parents laud her as “a fantastic role model” and “outstanding educator” who “is able to explain and demonstrate concepts in a variety of ways for a variety of different learners and learning styles.”
“My daughter comes home each day with a clear understanding of what is expected of her,” writes one parent nominator. “She feels confident in her work and knows exactly the areas she needs to focus on to improve.”
Another parent writes: “All three of my children (10th, 8th, and 4th graders) have had the privilege of being taught by Mrs. Moore. Because of her teaching, they have a great work ethic, are creative, and love school. Mrs. Moore teaches them to be responsible, to be excellent, and to think outside the box. She is a wonderful communicator and truly cares about her students.”
Martinez has worked as a paraprofessional at the high school for the past 22 years.
“What I like most about my job is to be in the classrooms, assisting our students,” says Martinez, who adds that she “feels lucky” to be able to work with an “amazing” staff at WHS. “I love helping my students to reach their goals and make sure they receive all the support they need to be successful in our classes. It is very rewarding to see the growth my students make through their years in high school.”
Colleagues who nominated Martinez for the Steengrafe Award say that she is “a devoted educator” who “exhibits a genuine interest in student success.”
“Students can always tell when teachers really care about them and they flock towards Senora Martinez because of her genuine concern and her gentle humor,” reads one nominating letter. “She encourages them to reach their fullest academic potential while boosting their self-esteem.”
“Maria is always there, ensuring that students’ educational needs are being met and reminding them of what they have to do to ensure their own success,” writes another nominator. “Her kindness and soft-spoken demeanor allow students to check in with her and ask her questions, never fearing reproach.”
Moore and Martinez will be recognized at a Board of Education meeting on May 21. They will receive the Philhower and Steengrafe Awards on June 4 as guests of honor during a Rotary Club luncheon.
A committee of three Rotarians and two elementary school principals reviewed all nominations and selected Moore and Martinez as this year’s recipients.
The Philhower Fellowship was established in 1993 by the Rotary Club to honor former Westfield Rotarian Charles Philhower and to recognize the importance of teaching in the elementary grades. An educator for more than 50 years, Charles Philhower, who died in 1962, was supervising principal (superintendent) of Westfield schools for three decades as well as co-founder and past president of the Rotary Club of Westfield.
This is the second year of the Steengrafe Fellowship, established in memory of Weyman O. Steengrafe who began teaching Social Studies in the Westfield Public Schools in 1942 before serving as principal at Franklin, Tamaques, and Wilson Elementary Schools. Weyman was a lifelong Rotarian from 1966-2010, serving as Club President in 1971-1972 and District Governor in 1985-1986.