Outstanding Young Alumnus Award

Award stories by Teresa (Bilyeu ’84) DeVries

A champion for Hispanic students” aptly describes Ali (Exley ’96) Traub in her role as Spanish teacher for the past eight years at Central High School in Springfield, Mo.

Named the 2005 National Spanish Teacher of the Year, Ali traveled to Los Angeles in July of last year to receive the George I. Sanchez Memorial Award at the annual meeting of the National Education Association. More than 2,000 educators from around the country heard about her efforts to help promote education among the Hispanic population.

She was also one of five finalists this spring for the Springfield Teacher of the Year.

Although she was born in the United States, Ali was raised in Argentina by her missionary parents. She came to Evangel in 1991, majoring in education.

“Even though I was American, I never felt very American,” she said. “I had this heavy accent, and I didn’t read well or write well in English.” Those early difficulties in adjusting to American life and culture helps her understand what the Hispanic students at her school are going through.

Ali teaches advanced Spanish in the high school’s International Baccalaureate program, but she insists on teaching other students as well. “I’ve always wanted to reach out to troubled, inner-city kids because of my life as a missionary kid. That is where my heart is,” says Ali, who grew up doing outreach ministry to the orphanages in Argentina.

At Central, she started an after-school tutoring program, recruiting local university students to help, and she organized ACT prep sessions to address needs particular to Hispanics.

“After ten years of teaching, I know that I can still pick up the phone and ask for advice from my Evangel professors,” Ali said. “It is such a blessing to know that they remember you, are interested in what you are doing, and are willing to share their advice.”