45 Years: Marilyn Hinton

With a master’s in educational administration from Howard University, Hinton has been dedicated to realizing untapped potential in children.

Her first role in education laid the groundwork for both her career path and her civic life: she joined the professional union at Clarion College after discovering minority counselors were being paid less than white counselors. With her involvement and tireless work, the union successfully worked with representatives who passed legislation in Pennsylvania that ended the discriminatory business practice. Hinton’s impressive influence then led her to the Service Employees International Union in Philadelphia – then Hawaii, Hong Kong, and Oklahoma, before landing in Huntington Beach, Calif., with her husband and eventual children.

While there, Hinton distinctly remembers reading one quote from author William Dyer that asked, “What do you want for your children? Whatever that is, be the example for them.” A new focus emerged, and Hinton put service at the forefront of her life.

She forged a path toward mentoring as she worked for a number of schools and universities, eventually making it to Plano in 1994. Since then, Hinton has been involved in many organizations and leadership roles in the community, and has been instrumental in the Plano Independent School District.

Hinton serves on the board of trustees for Plano ISD as the board secretary, and mentoring students five days a week at multiple schools while serving as a teacher in the district’s Head Start program. Hinton’s passion for educating children led her to become the youth director for Interfaith Housing, an organization dedicated to providing housing for the homeless. Her main goal – develop new creative arts programming for homeless children. Hinton’s extensive community involvement also includes Habitat for Humanity, Children’s Advocacy Center, The Rotary Club and the Samaritan Inn.

When asked why we should all volunteer she quoted T. Sieder. “I do it because the world is in need; we are either a part of the solution or apart of the problem.”