Dr. Myrtle Hightower, Living Legend 2004

that expanded throughout the school district. She helped found and develop the local Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, is a past president of the Plano Community Forum and helped the Heritage Farmstead Museum attain its historical accreditation. She proudly holds the first Meritorious Citizen award ever presented to an African American by the Plano Chamber of Commerce. Her list of board memberships, committee participation and professional affiliations is several pages long, but still she finds time for more. She is a member of the Plano Rotary Club, the Plano African-American Museum and Hills Chapel CME Church. Described as a role model for leadership, with a “can-do” spirit, a joyful zest for life and a penchant for details, Dr. Hightower continues to inspire as a writing instructor for Collin. The CCCCD Foundation recently honored her with a scholarship awarded in her name.


Dr. Myrtle Nash Hightower is no stranger to awards and honors, although recognition hasnever been her motivation. When she received Leadership Plano’s Distinguished Leadership Award, the presenter noted, “Myrtle has lived a life of service and truly has a servant’s heart.” Dr. Hightower has devoted as many thousands of hours to “giving back” as most people do to their entire careers. Her history of service began in Tulsa, where she was instrumental in the design and building of a $15 million performing arts center. She also served on the Governor’s Council on Youth and on the board of the Humanities Council of Tulsa. A talented English, speech and writing teacher and school counselor, she held numerous positions in education in Oklahoma, including dean of women at Langston University. Dr.Hightower brought her dedication to community involvement to Plano in 1989. She spent many years as a counselor at Williams High School and developed a mentoring program
		that expanded throughout the school district. She helped found and develop the local Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, is a past president of the Plano Community Forum and helped the Heritage Farmstead Museum attain its historical accreditation. She proudly holds the first Meritorious Citizen award ever presented to an African American by the Plano Chamber of Commerce. Her list of board memberships, committee participation and professional affiliations is several pages long, but still she finds time for more. She is a member of the Plano Rotary Club, the Plano African-American Museum and Hills Chapel CME Church. Described as a role model for leadership, with a “can-do” spirit, a joyful zest for life and a penchant for details, Dr. Hightower continues to inspire as a writing instructor for Collin. The CCCCD Foundation recently honored her with a scholarship awarded in her name.

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