In honor of Alisal’s 60th Anniversary, this is the 20th in an ongoing series of staff/alumni profiles.

While some teachers teach from a textbook, others teach from experience and passion. As both an alumni and an art teacher, Adrian Cornejo blends his creativity, school pride, and his passion for helping students find their artistic skills. 

Cornejo was born and raised in Salinas, California. He graduated from Alisal in 2006. During his time here he played a few sports, soccer being his main interest, but he also participated in baseball for one year.  

“Back then it was good times. Just spending time with your friends and playing sports with your friends was really cool,” he said. “And then just not having to worry about, you know, a lot of things that we worry about now as adults.
Back then it was a lot more simple.” 

As for school, art was one of his favorite classes. Cornejo was inspired by his art teacher Mr. Woodson. “I just loved his class, how chill it was. I liked the projects,” Cornejo said.  

After graduating, he was aware of the steps he needed to take for his next goals after high school. “I knew I wanted to go to university,” he said. “But my grades weren’t the greatest in high school.” He decided to attend Hartnell College, where he graduated in 2009.

“My goal was just to transfer out of Hartnell and go to a better university,” he said. At Hartnell, Cornejo was also heavily inspired by another art teacher, Mr K. “He’s actually one of the teachers that inspired me to continue, and to maybe try to teach art.”

He later transferred to UC Santa Barbara, where he graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art.

Although his path took time, teaching was always his goal. “High school was always my goal,” he said. “It’s a hard job to come by.” He later earned his teaching credentials from National University in 2022.

After college, Cornejo worked in the Alisal Union District, where he started as an after-school art teacher before moving into subbing and intervention work. “It was awesome,” he said. The year after COVID in 2020, he saw a position open up at Alisal. He applied, got the interview, and got the position as an art teacher.

Being a student and coming back to Alisal as a teacher now, means Cornejo not only remembers his teachers, but also works alongside some of them as part of the Alisal staff members. “It’s awesome,” Cornejo said. “It’s like a full circle…and Mr. Battaglini looks the same.”  

Coming back to the same campus as a teacher brought a mix of excitement and disbelief. Walking the same halls he did as a student felt surreal, “I was walking the halls, and they thought I was a student,” he said. “I had one of the supervisors yell at me and tell me to go to class.”

For Cornejo, the most rewarding part about being an art teacher is not actually just the projects themselves, but the students. “I think just interacting with the kids,” he said. “Hearing them say, ‘Oh Mr. C, you’re my favorite teacher,’ or that you made them see things differently…that’s my favorite part.”

Although teaching comes with many rewarding moments, it also comes with its challenges. One of the difficulties Cornejo faces is keeping students motivated. With distractions like cell phones and lack of interest, it can honestly sometimes be difficult to get students fully engaged in their work. “Some students start saying, ‘I can’t do this, I don’t want to do this,’ ” Cornejo said. “But then they start slowly doing something, and they see that they can do it…it’s pretty cool to see their reaction.” 

When thinking back on his time as both a student and teacher, Cornejo holds onto a lot of meaningful memories. As a student, playing soccer was one of the highlights of his high school years. “Our team was really good,” he said. “We were ranked number two in the nation.” 

As a teacher, his first year stands out the most. Starting in 2021 after COVID, it was a time of adjustment but also growth. “Learning how to deal with high school students…that first year was really cool for me,” Cornejo said. 

Being back at Alisal, Cornejo sees the school as more than just a workplace. “It’s home,” he said. Growing up in the area and attending Alisal himself makes his experience more meaningful, as he now teaches in the same community that shaped him. 

What makes Alisal unique, according to Cornejo, is the sense of community. “We’re like family,” he said. With many staff members being former students themselves, there is a shared understanding between teachers and students. “We know what you guys are going through, because we went through it too,” he said. 

Outside of the classroom, Cornejo also shares a personal connection to the Alisal community through his relationship with counselor Guadalupe Gamez. The two have known each other since elementary school. Although they didn’t talk much at first, things changed during their senior year. “I heard a rumor that she thought I was cute,” Cornejo said. “So I was like, let me give you a shot.”

From there, their relationship grew, even if it stayed lowkey at the time. “We were talking almost all senior year, but nobody knew,” he said. Now, nearly 20 years later, they are still together, showing just how strong those early connections can be. 

From student to teacher, Cornejo’s journey has come a full circle. Through his passion for art and connection with students, he continues to leave his mark on Alisal, this time, from the front of a classroom.