Recognizing our 2023-24 Award Recipients

During closing celebrations we had the pleasure to recognize a number of individuals for their contributions to the Hill Community!

George Watts Hill Award

The George Watts Hill Award for Citizenship, Academic Progress, Initiative, and Community Service is given in memory of our Founder George Watts Hill every year since 1993. Each year, a student in each of Hill’s academic levels is selected by their teachers to receive this award in honor of their contributions to their community and commitment to academic growth.

Sharon P. Maskel Methodology Award

This award was established in May 2014 to recognize longtime Executive Director Shary Maskel’s commitment to developing, improving, and spreading the Hill Methodology. The recipient should, in the opinion of his or her peers, have made significant contributions to enhancing the Hill Methodology in at least one of the following areas:

• Developing new curriculum, training, resources, or tools for teachers, students, or parents that improve the effectiveness or extend the reach of Hill Methodology
• Supporting or promoting effective implementation or adoption of Hill Methodology in innovative, strategic ways
• Advancing Hill Methodology research and evaluation and the use of data to improve instructional practice and/or student learning

Road Less Traveled Award

The Road Less Traveled Award is presented to a Hill alumnus who has demonstrated remarkable perseverance, is a shining example of what a confident, independent learner can achieve and whose accomplishments are often a direct result of the challenges he or she has overcome. The title of the award is taken from a line in Robert Frost’s famous poem. The spirit of the poem reflects the many challenges Hill students and alumni have faced, and continue to face, in their lives. Students and alumni at Hill often take the road less traveled because of their learning differences, which makes “all the difference” in their lives.

Charles S. Atwater Star Award

Awarded annually, the Star Award is given to individuals who have exhibited exceptional volunteer service and leadership within the Hill community and whose efforts will have a lasting and profound impact on Hill, its students and teachers.

Honoring our Retirees

This year we celebrated the retirement of Sara Gray Horne who served the Hill community for 40 years in multiple capacities and roles, and the retirement of Geraldine Pesacreta after 24 years of excellence in the classroom. Thank you, Sara Gray and Geraldine!