The Road Less Traveled Award

2007: Jennifer Diliberto

Jennifer Diliberto, class of 1991, has taken many roads less traveled, made many difficult choices, and reaped many rewards.  She attended The Hill Center from 6-9th grade and was described by her Hill Center teachers as a motivated, determined, and dedicated student who enjoyed the challenge of facing her learning struggles head-on and conquering them. It was in Jennifer’s early years at Hill that she took her first road less traveled, choosing not to give up on herself or to think it was someone else’s fault if she found her challenges overwhelming. She did choose to persevere, set her goals high and believe she could realize them.

After graduating from Chapel Hill High School, she went to Western Carolina University to start her journey to become a teacher. She wanted to help children become confident, independent learners like herself. Although there were many nay-sayers who told her she could never reach this goal, she received her degree and began her teaching career at Hickory Day School in Catawba County.

She commanded respect as a young teacher and did very well at Hickory Day School. But she had more to do and this time it was to earn a master’s degree in education at North Carolina State University. While in Raleigh, Jennifer came back to The Hill Center as she learned The Hill Center’s teaching methods in our summer program. But that is not the end of her story.  She took another road less traveled to UNC-Charlotte to earn a Ph.D., giving her the title of Dr. Diliberto.  Jennifer did her own teacher training around the state and is now working with college students as an assistant professor of special education at Greensboro College. But this is not the end of her story. She still has many roads less traveled yet to take, many more choices to make, and many more rewards to reap. She is soon to be published in the educational journal Literacy Research and Instruction with findings from her dissertation that add new data to support the importance of teaching syllabication with an article entitled “Effects of Syllabication Instruction on Reading Achievement.” Jennifer is living her dream of helping struggling students appreciate and maximize their learning styles by teaching more people to become stronger more empathetic educators. The Hill Center is very fortunate to have Jennifer Diliberto as a role model for both students and teachers.

Past Award Winners
2007: Jennifer Diliberto
2006: Brian D. Strahl
2005: W. Keith Dodson
2004: Lee Huskins
2003: Charlie Atwater
2002: Henry Tanner
2001: Ruth Anderson McGranahan
2000: Stefan Lee Hooker