From the moment Briana Morales ’17 was named the 2023-2024 Illinois Teacher of the Year, it was all about the students. She knew it was a chance to elevate marginalized voices and advance policies to give every student a fighting chance for the quality of education they deserve.
“The truth of it is, these kids have hopes and dreams. All they need are caring adults who can be there for them and turn the page to let them be who they want to be in life,” Morales, who teaches at an alternative school, said.
With the help of a supportive campus environment, Morales herself turned the page at St. Ambrose.
Resilient in the face of adversity
As a first-generation student, Morales found aspects of the higher education enrollment process unfamiliar. But St. Ambrose provided the structure and support she needed from the start.
“From the very moment I stepped on campus, everyone was so welcoming and ready to be there for me. I definitely struggled, but I never felt alone.”
Grappling to balance an ambitious academic load and multiple jobs, Morales did all she could to stay in touch with faculty and staff that she trusted to help her.
“She was one of the most resilient students I’ve ever had," said Tanya Randall, PhD, professor of philosophy. “Despite her struggles and difficulties, she was comfortable coming for help and setting new goals.”
Morales graduated from St. Ambrose with a double major in education and philosophy. Not many education majors can pull off a double major; it is an enormous course load. But Morales did it.
In her senior thesis for philosophy, Morales explored concerns at the foundation of education relating to assessment tools and social justice within educational institutions.
“She always had a different sense of mission about her,” said Dale Blesz, PhD, director of the School of Education. “She’s fought her own battles along the way, and she just stands out as a unique individual who’s driven and has a job to do. She’s an advocate.”
Putting advocacy into action
Morales says her experience at St. Ambrose helps her identify students who may be falling through the cracks. Since 2018, she has been teaching English to high school students at the Gordon Bush Alternative Center in East St. Louis, Illinois. In the 70-year history of the Teacher of the Year Award, Morales is only the second educator chosen from an alternative school.
Her recognition as Teacher of the Year has given her a platform to tout the work and success of alternative schools, which provide a unique educational environment. The services at these schools meet the individual learning needs of a diverse population in a nontraditional setting.
“It’s about being culturally responsive,” Blesz said, “to meet these students on a personal level. Her students know that she cares, and they trust her. She’s been there and they know it. They’re in it together.”
“Every day, we do the best that we can to show our students that who they are is enough. We’re elevating their humanity at all times,” Morales said.
As Illinois Teacher of the Year, Morales spent the 2023-2024 school year out of the classroom on sabbatical visiting over 100 schools, colleges, and universities. “It’s been deeply moving to share student stories and to raise the profile of the alternative school experience. The potential to be ‘that teacher’ for someone else’s child, to give them that lift, that purpose, and that chance at something seemingly unattainable has been a true privilege.”
Morales believes education is a tool that equips young people to become change agents in their communities and have a fighting chance at the life they deserve. She is currently a doctoral candidate in diversity and equity in education at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
“Every student deserves a safe place to land. When I was at St. Ambrose, they didn’t let me fall. And that’s what I bring to my students. Being able to say, ‘You can do this. I really believe that you can and I wouldn't be sitting here if not.’ That builds the trust, and then they start to believe in themselves.”