March 5, 2014
Legislator Bynoe Honors Dr. Betty Hylton
(MINEOLA, NY) – Nassau County Legislator Siela A. Bynoe (D-Westbury) was proud to honor Dr. Irene “Betty” Hylton for her outstanding work as an educator, activist and advocate during a presentation recognizing February as African American History Month at the Nassau County Legislature in Mineola on Monday, February 24, 2014.
A longtime educator, Hylton taught in the Westbury School District for twenty-two years and went back to school in her mid-50s to obtain her Ph.D. She commuted weekly for several years to Pennsylvania as Associate Dean of Teacher Education at the State University of Pennsylvania, East Stroudsburg University.
Dr. Hylton believes we must make a difference in the lives of our youth and our community. She has been an incredible advocate and activist for the Westbury/New Cassel community, where she co-chairs North Shore Child and Family Guidance’s Leeds Place Advisory Council, the group that organizes National Night Out Against Crime each year.
While reactivating the Westbury branch of NAACP, she took on the job of President of her sorority’s local chapter. Although she is 1st Vice President now, she encourages the branch to collaborate with local organizations including NAACP Long Island Coalition, 100 Black Women of Nassau & Suffolk County and AKA, Pi Pi Omega chapter.
In an effort to encourage the community to become more conscientious of what is taking place in the political sector, the schools and the community at-large, Dr. Hylton and members of her AKA Chapter revived the Greater Westbury League of Women Voters which was aging out and no longer active. As vice president of membership, Dr. Hylton is excited that New York State LWV has accepted this chapter as a Member-at-Large chapter. Efforts to revive the League fell through when the League President took ill. All efforts are moving ahead to help men and women become more involved in the community.
She additionally spearheaded the New Cassel Community Partnership Association so that organizations could work together for the same funds and resources. This effort has proven to be successful where recently many private and public organizations received a grant through the efforts of The Early Years grant.
Recently, Dr. Hylton was recognized by NYS NAACP Conference as a former President, and received an award from First Baptist Cathedral of Westbury for her Community Service. She was also awarded North Shore Child & Family Guidance Association - Family Life Award.