American Massage Therapy Association Council of Schools Chooses Tracy Walton for 2003 Teacher of the Year Award

Tracy Walton received the 2003 American Massage Therapy Association Teacher of the Year award. The Association's Council of Schools selects one massage educator each year from "among a group of the finest massage therapy educators nominated by their peers." Tracy was nominated for this award by the Muscular Therapy Institute, where she taught and worked as an administrator for 14 years.

In the nomination, Mary Ann DiRoberts, Executive Director of the Muscular Therapy Institute, described her as "inspiring, passionate, precise, thorough and rigorous in her critical thinking." Of particular note, Mary Ann observed, "Tracy is one of the most gifted and inspirational teachers I have ever met. She has a tremendous facility for expressing the soulful and heartfelt aspects of the work. She combines both these gifts to great effect in all her teaching and writing." The nominating committee apparently agreed. As reported in The Council Communicator, the award "recognizes the instructor's teaching talents and strong sense of commitment to massage therapy education.*"

Tracy learned of her award in January 2003 (the nomination had been kept secret from her until then) and delivered the keynote address at the AMTA Council of Schools Annual Teachers' Conference in Baltimore, MD, in August. It was a great honor to receive the award, which is named for Jerome Perlinski, a much-loved massage educator and leader in the Council of Schools. It was also an honor to address the dedicated and skilled group of massage therapy teachers gathered for the conference.

*From issue 6(2), page 5, November 2003.