On October 31, 2007, Betty Jane (BJ) Howat passed away at her home in Hatboro, PA. Until her retirement, BJ was a Health and Physical Education teacher at William Tennent High School where she made a significant impact on their aquatics program and the lives of thousands former students, swim team members and colleagues at this facility. For these reasons, we are mounting support for the Natatorium at William Tennent High school to be renamed "The B. J. Howat Natatorium". We must compile a minimum of 150 signatures for this renaming to be considered, and believe we can easily find many more than that by May 15, 2009. Please sign this petition, and forward it to any former teammates, friends or colleagues whom you believe would support this recognition as much as we do. BJ coached the Tennent swim team from 1968-1984 (16 years) and Hideaway for 26 years. Tennent and Hideaway produced a number of championship swims teams under her leadership. BJ's career also included coaching and teaching at Hideaway Swim Club, Temple University, Drexel University and Abington Friends School. BJ was the founder of Annual Pool Night at William Tennent. BJ was also an active member of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, volunteered at Doylestown Hospital and at the American Red Cross, served on the Board of Directors at the Hatboro Library and was a 20 year member of the PIAA Steering Committee for swimming. She has positions of honor in the Pennsylvania State Swimming Hall of Fame, the William Tennent High School Hall of Fame, Temple University Sports Hall of Fame and the Pottsville High School Hall of Fame. The following have been created for or bestowed upon BJ Howat in her honor: -Hideaway's MVP Swimmer Award -William Tennent HS Leadership Award -PIAA District 1 Outstanding Swimmer Award -Colonial Swim League Award -Fellowship of Christian Athletes Award -National Interscholastic Honor Award (engraved on the sidewalk of the Swimming Hall of Fame) -College Swim Coaches of America Honor; 40 Years of Service BJ Howat was a beloved teacher, coach and friend whose outstanding integrity, dedication and sportsmanship have graced and inspired the lives and careers of those fortunate enough to have had BJ as part of their lives. We, the undersigned, strongly support the naming of the pool at William Tennent High School as "The BJ Howat Natatorium"

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