Susan M. Radloff is the recipient of the Austin Rotary Club's Community Service Teacher of the Year award for 2002.

Radloff received the honor at Monday's Austin Rotary Club meeting at Holiday Inn of Austin.

Tom Sherman, president of the organization, expressed his congratulations to the recipient.

Clark Toland, chairman of the Educator of the Year committee, presented the award. Mary Ann Law, Belita Schindler and Corrine Johnson are also committee members.

Radloff has taught music since 1966 and 24 years in the Austin Public Schools system, including both elementary students and for the last 20 years, Ellis Middle School students.

The well-known and well-respected music educator is the EMS orchestra director, concertmaster for Austin Symphony Orchestra and a private teacher of advanced music students.

She was nominated by David O. Jordahl, a former colleague of Radloff's, and Philip Burkhart, another long-time colleague, who is Austin High School orchestra director; Shirley Hinrichs, parent of a former student of the honoree and David Kallman, a former colleague as elementary and Ellis Middle School band director.

Jordahl said of Radloff, "Susan has sparked the musical imaginations and talents of many students."

Jordahl mentioned Blair Lawhead, concertmaster of orchestras playing for Broadway productions and David Hays, who earned a Ph.D in violin performance at Northwestern University and now a teacher of violin and chamber music on the collegiate level.

"Both of these young men are among many, who have returned to Austin to share publicly their performance gifts as soloists with the Austin Symphony Orchestra," Jordahl said of two of Radloff's former music students.

Radloff said she plans to use the money gift from Austin Rotary Club to bring Hays back to Austin for a Sept. 30 concert with his string trio and to conduct music workshops in Austin public schools.

The Rotary Club's Toland said Radloff epitomizes the organization's motto of "service above self."

Also present at Monday's meeting and award presentation was the honoree's husband, Robert Radloff.

A year ago, Austin Rotary Club honored Brian Johnson, AHS vocal music director, as its Educator of the Year award recipient.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com