Alison Cornell graduated Summa Cum Laude from Missouri State University in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in Mathematics Education. She will earn her master's degree this spring in Teaching Mathematics from Northern Arizona University.

Alison teaches mathematics and is the math department chair at Desert View High School in the Sunnyside Unified School District. She integrates technology into all her classes - she uses a Smartboard on a daily basis and her students use graphing calculators. She has developed a discussion page for students to use when they are not at school and have questions regarding their homework. Alison's creative teaching methods have proved to be very successful amongst her students. In 2010, 98% of Alison's students passed AIMS, with 50% of those students exceeding. In 2009, 100% passed, with 94% of them exceeding. In 2009-10, 85% of her students taking math college entrance exams tested into College Algebra or higher.

Alison created a summer transition program for incoming freshmen, a summer class for sophomores in partnership with Pima Community College, and the summer Algebra Academy II for juniors in partnership with the University of Arizona. This past year, Alison created Desert View's first Math Center where students can seek help from mentors. In addition to summer programs for her high school students, Alison tutors students after school throughout the year.