Beloved Little Trojans Academy Founder Marilou Raham Retires After a Decade of Shaping Young Minds

by Faran Fagen August 19, 2025

by Faran Fagen August 19, 2025 3 minutes read

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Marilou Raham is front and center at the party at Riverside Park on Sunday. {Gabrielle Copertino},

Watching children grow and reach milestones is what has been the highlight for longtime educator Marilou Raham.

After 10 years since opening the Little Trojans Academy in Coral Springs, Raham is retiring from a long career of teaching.

“Finishing up my career at Taravella/Little Trojans has meant more to me than I could have imagined,” Raham said. “Working with families and supporting them in raising their children has given me a deep sense of purpose, knowing I’m making a positive difference in their lives.”

LTA nurtures 16 preschoolers each year — mostly children of Broward County employees, such as teachers and staff. Two certified teachers and Taravella High School students studying Early Childhood Education step in to help teach the children at LTA.

Little Trojans Academy is located in its own enclave on the west side of Taravella campus. Its curriculum has been updated and aligns with the Florida Department of Education.

Raham, who previously ran Children’s World of Margate for many years, opened LTA a decade ago with former Taravella High principal Shawn Cerra — and there’s always been a wait list to enroll.

The children receive a lot of one-on-one attention during learning time, which enhances the quality of their learning. The ratio is usually 2:1, children to teacher. Children learn the pledge of allegiance at the age of 3, as well as basic reading and math skills, according to her.

“I believe the key to our success is consistency in care and staffing,” Raham said. “Our staff are professional, yet loving and caring towards the children and the families. We’re able to do this mainly because of the quality staff-to-child ratio we carry.”

One of the things that always surprised Raham is LTA’s relationship with the high school and the student population.

“Any time we’re in the hallway, there is immense respect from the high schoolers towards little ones; they will often remind each other to move out of the way or to watch their conversations when the Little Trojans are in the hallway,” Raham said.

On Aug. 17, current and former students gathered down the street from Taravella at Riverside Park to honor and celebrate Raham. Families flooded her social media afterward with photos and words of gratitude.

“Mrs. Marilou Raham is truly one amazing educator,” posted Gabrielle Copertino, mom of Little Trojans alumnus Nicky. “The turnout from her LTA alumni was proof enough of the amazing woman and teacher she is. She got Nicky ready for kindergarten, and we are grateful forever.”

Even though she’s retiring, Raham still plans to continue to volunteer at LTA.

“I will miss the day-to-day interactions, but I know it’s now my season in life to enjoy some leisure,” Raham said. “I’m looking forward to volunteering in the classroom — reading stories to the little ones is my absolute favorite.”

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Author Profile

Faran Fagen

Faran Fagen, who teaches high school journalism, graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Journalism degree and from Florida Atlantic University with a degree in Education. He's worked at The Palm Beach Post, SunSentinel, and MLB.com. He lives in Coral Springs with his wife and two children. Oh, and his three dogs -- who all think that they're his favorite.