Patty Ceraolo

Patty Ceraolo is a Spanish teacher in the IB program at Clearwater Central Catholic High School in the Clearwater, Tampa Bay area of Florida. She has been at the school for 28 years, having joined in 1998 after earlier teaching positions in Miami and at Our Lady of Lourdes school. Born in Bogota, Colombia, she moved to the United States in first grade and grew up in Miami, where Spanish is her first language and English her second. She earned degrees in international affairs, political science, and foreign languages from Florida State University, with additional studies including French in high school and Italian in college. Ceraolo began her teaching career in 1982 with a fifth-grade position at a Catholic school in Miami before relocating to the Clearwater area in 1985 following her marriage. She has taught fifth grade and middle school prior to focusing on high school Spanish in the rigorous International Baccalaureate program. Beyond the classroom, she has volunteered with organizations such as Give Kids the World in Orlando and emphasizes respect, communication, and making students feel at home.