Mariellen Taraboletti

Mariellen Taraboletti didn’t grow up in Delaware, but her Delaware Tech degree propelled her to a successful career in education -- a career in which she is helping to prepare and inspire Delaware’s next generation of students.

Taraboletti grew up outside of Scranton, Pennsylvania and when most of her family moved to Delaware, she packed up her belongings and followed.  Upon arriving in Bear, she began researching colleges. When the 4-year university didn’t feel like the right fit, she opted for smaller class sizes and extra faculty attention. “Coming from out of state and not knowing a lot of people, it was important to me that my teachers knew my name and that I could count on extra support. I got that at Delaware Tech.”

Taraboletti pursued a degree in early childhood education at the George Campus and cites the benefit of having a childcare center on campus that served as a hands-on learning lab. After graduation, she immediately enrolled at Wilmington University (WU), earning her bachelor’s in elementary education and then spent the next several years working as a special education teacher in several schools throughout the Christina School District. She ultimately earned her master’s in school leadership at WU.

Now, Taraboletti serves as the principal of William B. Keene Elementary School in Newark. On her wall hangs a sign that says, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” She says it’s the motto she lives by: “I always tell my kids and staff that we lead by example. Even if it’s not the easy way, even if we think it won’t make a difference, it truly does.”