When Roberto Rabelo was awarded the 2027 Miami-Dade County Teacher of the Year award, it was a testament to his current students of what can happen when one works hard enough.
That meant more to him than any prize.
Born and raised in Miami to Cuban immigrants, Rabelo said he was an energetic and sporty child.
But his life changed after the birth of his youngest brother, Lazaro.
When Rabelo was 10, a doctor told his mother her newborn son would never be able to walk or talk due to a cerebral hemorrhage only three hours after being born.
Rabelo stood beside his Spanish-speaking mom and her translator when he heard the words that would reshape the rest of his life.
“Tell that doctor that I have other plans for my son,” his mother told the translator.
From that moment forward, Rabelo watched his mother search tirelessly for therapies and treatments, refusing to accept the limitations doctors placed on her son.
That inspired Rabelo, more than anything had before.
“She always found a solution,” Rabelo said. “When someone else says it’s impossible, you find a way.”
That’s when he knew he wanted to become a teacher or a therapist to help children just like he did with his brother.
That path, however, was not easy.
When Rabelo was a senior in high school, his first choice at the time was to apply at Florida International University, hoping to begin his journey in education.
He was met by rejection from a college counselor and was told he wasn’t smart enough to attend.
“Your SAT scores aren’t high enough,” he recalled being told. “You’re not ready for this school.”
But Rabelo followed the advice his father had given him years before: if you don’t like the answer, ask someone else.
And he did just that.
After speaking to a different advisor who gave him some steps to follow, Rabelo enrolled at Miami Dade College, improved his grades and test scores and eventually transferred to FIU.
It took him seven years to earn his degree in special education.
He was navigating undiagnosed ADHD, and needed to develop his own plan of action to succeed in school.
He recorded lectures, listened to them on his way to work after class and again each night to fill in gaps on the notes he had written earlier that day, and made sure to study weeks in advance just to keep up.
“That’s what makes me such a great teacher,” Rabelo said. “I understand the challenges students face.”
By 1989, Rabelo was going to lectures, working at his father’s restaurant after class and beginning to work as a substitute teacher at Kensington Park Elementary, the same school his brother attended.
He was hired shortly after graduating.
For the past 22 years, he has taught at South Miami Middle School.
“I never had the teacher I am for you,” Rabelo tells his students. “That’s why I am the teacher I am.”
His dedication and impact have earned him recognition among thousands of educators.
Out of more than 20,000 teachers in Miami-Dade County, Rabelo was selected as the Miami-Dade Teacher of the Year and has advanced to compete at the state level.
Despite the recognition, Rabelo says his motivation remains the same.
His teaching centers on what he calls “DWO”—doing what others won’t. Every morning, at 4 a.m., Rabelo wakes up and emails parents, outlining lessons and encouraging involvement, creating what he describes as a “24/7 circle of engagement.”
He also prioritizes students’ emotional well-being, starting each class by reinforcing confidence and optimism.
“The reason why kids love being in my class is because of the relationships I build with them,” he said. “I make them feel like they can achieve anything.”
For many students, that belief becomes transformative.
Stories like this are echoed by parents and students who describe Rabelo as not just a teacher, but a mentor who pushes students to see their potential.
“I was listening to my child use positive affirmations to help himself navigate the difficulties he was having,” said Rachel Gomez, mother of one of Rabelo’s students. “To hear him repeat these words of affirmation with such conviction is truly a testament to the many ways Mr. Rabelo has impacted my son.”
Rabelo said what makes him different from other teachers is his passion “I look forward to coming to school every day.”
With five years left before retirement, Rabelo hopes to continue doing what he has always done, showing students that their circumstances do not define them.
Just like he learned from his mother.
