Ridoloso: From planning trips to being named top teacher

By GERALD BETANIO 
The Tower 

MANTECA – Students vote on who gets to be teacher of the year. 

Every teacher is nervous, thinking that they won’t win. 

The day has arrived. Students gather in a filled stadium. 

The announcer starts to say the name of the teacher who has won this honor. 

One teacher is filled with joy as she hears her name. 

She receives her certificate, and smiles as she is known as “Teacher of the Year.” 

Ridoloso, a wonderful teacher at Manteca High, has provided various opportunities and help for students. She is determined as a favorite all due to her personality towards them and other teachers.  

Ridoloso is a well-known Spanish teacher in the campus of Manteca High who has influenced other students and fellow staff. During the past years, she has planned many yearly trips to places that hold a lot of history so that students can learn the wonderful history of the places. 

“It’s really fun, these trips can teach students the history of the countries we go to, and honestly, it’s a really good opportunity to learn the country’s culture,” Ridoloso said. 

As a proud advisor of the HYLC (Hispanic Youth Leadership Council), her club has done many different fundraisers at different sporting events to raise funds for future activities. They’ve sold Fresas con Crema and have done face paintings. The club also had a dress up week for the whole campus to participate in, which was back in September. Her club performed during lunchtime and also held a Loteria game for students to win prizes.  

Ridoloso and her students have had the opportunity to travel abroad have been to many countries, like Costa Rica and Spain, which recently, they took a trip to Italy back in the summer of 2025, with a stop to France. More trips have been planned, as they are scheduled to travel to Japan in 2026, and they will be returning to Spain in 2027, where they will be spending about 9 days travelling to different cities in Spain.  

Although the Spain trip is planned for the first week of June, there will be a informational meeting for their 2027 trip on October 28th, where if students sign-up early for the Spain trip, they will get $200 off, which only makes this trip cost $4,349 for anyone under 20 years old.  

Ridoloso is not only a teacher to her students, but she is like a best friend to them. She builds a strong relationship with them. Her likeability has touched other students. She would always keep a aesthetic vibe to her students. Her teaching has also influenced other teachers, as they also tend to build a strong friendship with her. 

“They would be aesthetic and good vibes. That’s how I would describe my teaching style,” Ridoloso said. 

As she won Teacher of the Year, she is very proud of the accomplishments and effort she provides for her students.