Empowering students with language-based learning differences
The Siena Cypress & Key Support
News
Siena Cypress and Key Supporter Awards
Honoring Those Who Make a Difference
In 2007, the school established the Siena Cypress Leadership Award, given annually to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the education of students who learn differently. For centuries, Cypress trees have been planted to honor people of significant accomplishment. The Siena award, which is hand-crafted each year, includes a larger and smaller cypress tree and captures the spirit of the school reflecting mentorship, creativity, and resilience.
We're thrilled to honor Dyslexia Advocate and Consultant Lorraine Hightower with the 2024 Cypress Leadership Award.
Past Awardees
Rick Riordan, 2008
Claire Nissenbaum, 2009
Thomas West, 2010
Dr. Martha Denckla, 2011
Dr. Gordon Sherman, 2012
Dr. Larry Silver, 2013
Dr. Kathleen Nadeau, 2014
Quinn Bradlee, 2015
Marilyn Zecher, 2016
Learning Ally, 2017
Weinfeld Education Group, 2018
Senator Craig Zucker and Delegate Eric Luedtke, 2019
Drs. Brock and Fernette Eide, 2020
Noah Lyles, 2021
Dyslexic Edge/Sliding Doors, 2022
Gil Gershoni, 2023
Lorraine Hightower, 2024
Key Supporter Awards
A
Academic Language Therapy Association, Virginia Branch (ALTA-Virginia)
Atlantic Seaboard Dyslexia Education Center (ASDEC)
B
Judy Bass (Bass Educational Services)
Connie Belfiore (Friends Community School)
Dr. Sarah Irvine Belson (School of Education, Teaching and Health, American University)
Suzanne Keith Blattner, Ed.S. (Suzanne Keith Blattner, Ed.S. & Associates)
Rebecca Blodgett
Kevin Bowlin (Printing and Promotional Unlimited, Inc.)
Timothy Brown (Arent Fox LLP)
C
Tom Carr (Carr Design and Construction Solutions LLC)
Calvary Lutheran Church (Pastors Alex Harris and Carl Johnson)
Dr. R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center
D
Jose Dominguez (Pyramid Atlantic Art Center)
E
Guinevere Eden, Ph.D. (Georgetown University)
Paul Elbo (formerly of P R S Associates)
Janice Ellis
Valerie Ervin (Montgomery County Councilmember, 5th District)
G
Bill Gray
Dave Gudes
The George Washington University – Meltzer Psychological Center
H
Margaret R. Harrington, Ed.D. (Victory Education Partners)
Dr. Anthony Harris (UMD School of Medicine)
Rickie Hartman
Pastor Joel Hawthorne (Montgomery Hills Baptist Church)
Susan Healy (LDA-MC)
I
Georgia K. Irvin and Pamela Tedeschi (Tedeschi Educational Consulting, formerly Georgia K. Irvin & Associates)
J
K
Pearl R. Kane, Ed.D. (Teachers College, Columbia University)
Terri King, Montgomery Hills Baptist Church
Michael Krasnow, Judge
Natalia Kormeluk (The Field School)
M
E. Jane McCarthy, Ph.D., Ms.N.
David Meininger, SFCCA
Katherine K. Merseth, Ed.D. (Harvard Graduate School of Education)
Milton Janitorial Services
Montgomery Hills Baptist Church
Matthew Moyer (National Geographic)
N
Dr. Lorrie Ness (Ness Psychological Services)
P
Caryn G. Pass, Esq. (Venable LLP)
Allen Perper (Alumni Parent)
Bill Poulos
S
Lou Salza, M.Ed. (The Lawrence School)
Rhona Schwartz, M.A. (The Katherine Thomas School)
The Siena School Scholarship Foundation
Aaron Smith, A. Morton Thomas & Associates, Inc.
Ruth B. Spodak, Ph.D., & Associates
William R. Stixrud, Ph.D., & Associates
Nancy Streim, Ph.D. (Teachers College, Columbia University; formerly University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Education)
U
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax
University of Maryland Department of Environmental Science and Technology
V
Dr. Rachna Varia (Mindwell)
W
Washington Scholarship Fund
Rich Weinfeld (The Weinfeld Education Group)
Ms. Abigail B. Wiebenson (Lowell School)
Ms. Janet L. Wintrol (Ivymount School)
Dr. Valaida Wise (Dr. Valaida Wise Consulting, LLC)
Z
Marilyn Zecher (ASDEC)
Eve Zimmerman (Siena Parents Association)