9 Missouri educators honored at Capitol

Nine Missourians - including an instructor at Linn State Technical College - were honored Thursday as state winners of the 2014 Missouri Breaking Traditions Awards. The awards were presented during a ceremony at the Missouri State Capitol Rotunda.

In Mid-Missouri, Diane Heckemeyer - who serves as department chairwoman for civil engineering technology and design drafting technology at Linn State - was honored with the Postsecondary Educator Award.

Sponsored by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the awards honor students, educators and employers who have not let gender influence their decisions.

College and career readiness is a primary goal for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Top 10 by 20 initiative, which calls for education in Missouri to rank in the top 10 nationwide by 2020.