Nominations for the 2014 Jerome Perlinski Teacher of the Year Award are now open through November 30. Anyone can nominate a massage school teacher for this award. Each year, the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) presents the award to an instructor in an AMTA member school who demonstrates exceptional teaching abilities and commitment to high standards of education in massage therapy.
The award honors the memory of Jerome Perlinski, an extraordinary educator and much loved leader. He is remembered for his recognition of the gifts and talents of others and his ability to bring out their best. A consumer and advocate of massage therapy who was not a practitioner, Jerome held a doctorate in the history of ideas from St. Louis University. He was a widely experienced teacher and lecturer whose committed work helped raise training standards, improve teaching methods and educate massage practitioners about the importance of ethical, professional behaviors. When colleagues remember Jerome, they use words like inspired, passionate, motivating, principled and exceptional.
2013 Award recipient Rick Garbowski of the Georgia Massage School was announced in February and will be recognized again at the AMTA convention this September in Ft. Worth, Texas.
When thinking of who to nominate, consider the question Who Inspires You? And, file your nomination here for an instructor at an AMTA member massage therapy school.
The AMTA is a non-profit, professional association serving massage therapists, massage students and massage schools. The association is directed by volunteer leadership and fosters ongoing, direct member-involvement through its 51 chapters. AMTA works to advance the profession through ethics and standards, the promotion of fair and consistent licensing of massage therapists in all states, and public education on the benefits of massage.