Ms. Ali Is Teachers' Choice for 2022 Sidney Millman Award
Students from Ms. Ali’s past made a poster to express their appreciation for her. Photo: Erica Wong
By KALIYAH KING and ERICA WONG
Ms. Lisa Ali, Midwood’s robotics, mechatronics, and AutoCAD teacher, has been voted by her colleagues to be the school’s 2022 Sidney Millman Award winner. The award, which was announced in June, recognizes excellence in teaching and has been a tradition at Midwood since 1989.
“It’s all still sinking in,” said Ms. Ali. “I will say that it was a huge honor. I felt like my hard work was recognized and valued.”
Teachers within the science department called Ms. Ali an “inspiration.”
“She is extremely kind, capable, and very dedicated to her students,” said Mr. Cameron Jahn, the AP Chemistry teacher. "I think that her approach to the way she teaches classes and how she treats her students is something other teachers look up to and want to emulate."
“She models an ideal teacher, and she really cares about her job,” said Ms. Kimberly Lau, last year’s winner, who teaches chemistry, AP Environmental Science, ocean science, and culinary science. “She cares not just about the students' learning but also about their wellbeing.”
But Ms. Ali couldn’t have reached these “heights” alone. “I sometimes struggle to reach things in high places, so shout out to my tall students, Mr. Jahn, and Mr. Xu for helping me when my vertical challenges hinder my abilities,” said Ms. Ali, joking.
Her efforts in teaching have not only been recognized by her fellow teachers but by her students as well.
“Some of my colleagues joke about my students having their own ‘fan club’ because they spend a lot of their free time with me in the Robotics Lab working on their robots, 3D-printing their designs, and even mentoring the lowerclassmen that are new to the suite,” said Ms. Ali. “I’m lucky enough to teach many of them for up to three years. Not only am I forming a special bond with these students throughout that time, but they also create a bond with each other as they’ve been working in groups since they started the suite.”
“Ms. Ali has a tough love, very ‘do-it-yourself’ approach,” said senior Sawyer Wizemann, captain of the Bötley Crüe robotics team. “But as strict as she may seem, she’s insanely sweet, friendly, and helpful. She loves to relate to students in meaningful ways. She is my favorite teacher by far, and this is my favorite class ever since my sophomore year.”
“Because Ms. Ali is so understanding, it feels like talking to a friend with her casual attitude,” said senior Max May, a software engineer and programmer on the Pink Droyd robotics team. “I think the main takeaway I got from her class was that communication is key. So having a mentor or other peers to learn from, and being able to bounce ideas off each other – it’s how you grow, and it forced me to take initiative.”
“I can come in and tell her about my day or talk to her about my concerns,” said senior Leyli Zeynalova, a builder on Bötley Crüe. “She is very caring and kind, which is why I appreciate her role as my teacher in my life.”
Ms. Ali’s passion for teaching engineering began in high school through a computer repair CTE program.
“The CTE program I did in high school is actually a funny story,” said Ms. Ali. “I wish [my motivation] was deeper and more meaningful, but I was out for revenge! When I was younger, my older brother, who was savvy with computers, consistently locked me out of my computer by changing my password and removing various parts from my motherboard. I was determined to never let it happen again, so I decided that I was going to be better than he was. Now I am! Engineering is a passion I hope to fuel for my students here at Midwood.”
Ms. Ali was one of only two female students in her high school program. But she believed that engineering and its various fields were something no one should feel discouraged about trying.
“All students should have the opportunity to explore a few career fields before deciding on one,” said Ms. Ali. “Would you buy a new car without test-driving it first? Our students realize one of two things — first, I am really good at this, and this is going to be my major in college or trade school, or second, I hate this, and I can never see myself doing it as my career. Either way, it's going to save you or your parents a lot of money from not paying for classes that you will eventually drop or change your mind about.”
A word of advice Ms. Ali always likes to go by, which she included on a 3D-printed class pass, is “be kind to one another.”
“It’s up to us to give the kindness we hope to receive in return,” said Ms. Ali. “Many of us dream of changing that world. Maybe that change can start with kindness.”