Marbel Tamayo

Marbel is a dedicated educator who has spent three decades serving the Paterson Public School District. Born in Barranquilla, Colombia, she earned her degree in Social and Economic Sciences from the Universidad del Atlántico in 1988. She began her teaching career in her hometown at José Antonio Galán High School, teaching geography and history to grades 9 through 12, laying the foundation for her lifelong devotion to education.

In 1996, Marbel brought her passion to New Jersey, starting as a substitute teacher in Paterson. Her professional excellence was quickly recognized when she received the prestigious National Dean’s List Award in 2003. That same year, she joined Edward W. Kilpatrick School as a foreign language teacher, where she founded her very first Spanish Club. From 2011 to 2019, she taught Spanish at School 24 for grades 6 through 8. Beyond the classroom, Marbel demonstrated exceptional leadership by directing two honor societies at School 24: the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) and the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica de Amistad.

Since 2019, Marbel has been a proud faculty member at Eastside High School, teaching Spanish to 10th, 11th, and 12th graders. Upon her arrival, she founded the school’s Spanish Club, and in 2020, she established and directed the Esther Forero Chapter of the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica, which she continues to lead today. Deeply committed to celebrating cultural heritage, she also created Eastside’s Latino Dance Club. Under her guidance, students have participated in cultural exchanges across school districts, notably performing twelve traditional Hispanic dances at Glen Ridge Schools. Furthermore, Marbel has led extensive community service initiatives, including supporting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, volunteering at Oasis for abused women and children, visiting adult daycares, and organizing monetary donations for disaster relief, such as the Project of Love for the Dominican Republic during floods.

Known for her unwavering commitment, Marbel inspires her students to build self-confidence, develop compassion, and embrace cultural pride. Her extraordinary dedication was previously recognized when she was named a New Jersey Hall of Fame Everyday Hero. Making history as the first Everyday Hero to be selected as the New Jersey Hall of Fame Educator of the Year, Marbel continues to leave a profound and lasting legacy in the lives of the youth of Paterson and the State of New Jersey.