In 1995, Hetty was appointed to a two-year term as a member of the federal Human Rights Tribunal Panel.
The Nova Scotia School Administrators' Association recognized her contribution to education by presenting her with the "Principal of Distinction" award in 1998.
[1] In July 2006, Hetty was presented with the Canadian Teachers' Federation Special Recognition Award for meritorious service to education in 2006.
Hetty was named as a Canadian hero by Time magazine in June, 2006 and by Reader's Digest in January, 2007.
In 2005, an honorary Doctor of Civil Law degree[3] was bestowed on Hetty from Saint Mary's University in Halifax, based on her work as an educator, author, and community activist.