District information coordinator earns to state awards

      One was an Award of Excellence in writing for the Featured Teacher article on Kevin Steingruebner, titled "Social Studies Teacher 'Stands Tall' at Central High School," in the March/April 2003 Observer. The second was an Award of Honor in writing for the article "Astronaut Mike Mullane 'Counts Down' at Memorial," in the January/February 2003 Observer.
      The NYSPRA awards luncheon took place on October 24 during the NYS School Boards convention in Rochester. Accepting the awards on Hinkemeyer's behalf was Board of Education president Anthony Iadevaio.
      In June, Hinkemeyer received an award of Honorable Mention in the newsletter category for the Observer in the National School Public Relations Association's contest.
      Over the past 18 years, she has received nearly 50 state and national awards for district publications and programs, including NYS Professional of the Year in 1991.
      Hinkemeyer is a past president of the Nassau County School Public Relations Association, 1991-92, and was the first president of the Long Island School Public Relations Association, 1992-94. A former high school history teacher and textbook writer for publishing companies in Chicago and New York, and long active on the boards of many non-profit community groups on Long Island, she holds a masters degree in teaching history from Northwestern University and a masters in Communication Arts from the New York Institute of Technology.