Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Bishop | Archdiocese of Louisville

Claudia Alfaro, a Spanish teacher at Holy Trinity School's St. Matthews campus in Louisville, has been recognized as the "2024 Outstanding Spanish Teacher of the Year" by the Kentucky Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese and the Kentucky World Languages Association. Originally from Mexico, Alfaro began her teaching career 26 years ago, initially teaching English in her home country before moving to Louisville in 2009.

Alfaro integrates her Catholic faith into her teaching methods by incorporating prayers and lessons about saints into her curriculum. "Everything the school is doing with faith, I incorporate in my class," she stated. She also aims to share Hispanic culture with her students, emphasizing its connection to Catholicism. "I like to share our feasts, like Our Lady of Guadalupe," she explained.

Her approach to language education goes beyond memorization and grammar rules. She focuses on building upon students' existing knowledge by introducing words and phrases that are slightly above their current skill levels. This method helps students progress from simple phrases to more complex thoughts.

Alfaro prioritizes collaboration among language teachers through a group she founded called "Todos somos coleges" or "We are colleagues." The group consists of over a dozen language teachers from the Archdiocese of Louisville’s Catholic Schools who meet several times a year to share successful classroom strategies and opportunities for professional development.

Reflecting on her career choice, Alfaro follows in the footsteps of her father, who was also a teacher. "He would come home with energy from his students," she recalled. "Now, with my students, I feel the same thing. I love my students."