Ciao for Now was created by Marianna Trombetta out of the desire to bring the Italian language and culture outside of the school building and into the homes and lives of her students. Marianna is a NYS Certified K-12 Italian teacher with over 13 years experience teaching Italian in the public school setting. She has taught grades K-5 and 9-12, ultimately staying with the little ones where she currently teaches Italian to 3rd-5th graders. Marianna also holds a Masters Degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Languages (TESOL) for grades K-12.

After seeing the need for more robust language offerings in Queens and beyond, Marianna decided to put her years of experience to work for the Astoria and surrounding communities. She started Ciao for Now in the Summer of 2023 with a mission to teach Italian in a fun, immersive, and developmentally appropriate way!