Montessori Alumni
Montessori alumni are noted for being strong and capable persons. They model initiative, independence, dignity, selflessness, sound judgement, and ability to work well with others. From doctors to athletes, musicians, bakers, teachers, artists, politicians, entrepreneurs, clothing designers, and more, they are individuals whose education has helped them nourish their passions and hone their skills so that they may find their place in society.
With millions of Montessori alums worldwide, it would be impossible to note the achievements of all. Below are some Montessori graduates you may know of because they are in the public eye.
More Montessori Alumni
- Julia Child, chef, author, TV personality
Source: Child, J. in collaboration with Yntema, E. S., “On Cooking with Children.” Julia Child & Company, Alfred A. Knopf, 1978. Page 147. - Chelsea Clinton, daughter of former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; vice-chair of the Clinton Foundation; and author
Source: Former U.S. President Bill Clinton. (2017, July 26). Democratic National Convention. Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA. Published on C-Span. Transcript published on CNN. - Seth Curry, NBA player (Portland Trail Blazers)
Sources: “Living Montessori: The Curry Family.” Video produced by the American Montessori Society, 2013; Piché, P. (2013, Winter). “Nothing but Net: An Interview with the Curry Family.” Montessori Life. (Volume 25, Issue 4), Page 18. - Anthony Doerr, author, Pulitzer Prize recipient
Source: Horowitz, J. (2014, December). “Interview with Anthony Doerr.” Goodreads. - Helen Hunt, Emmy Award winning actor
Source: “A Conversation with Actor Helen Hunt.” Video produced by Munir Shivji for The Institute for Montessori Education, 2012. - Gabriel García Marquez, author, Nobel Prize in Literature recipient
Source: Marquez, G.G. Living to Tell the Tale. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2003. Pages 94 – 95. - Morgan Saylor, actor
Source: Correspondence between Management 360 and the American Montessori Society. - Will C. Smith, Jr., Maryland State Senator
Source: Conversation between Senator Smith and the American Montessori Society. - Taylor Swift, GRAMMY Award winner
Source: Brudereck, J. (2010, February 13). “Students at Alvernia Montessori School sending Taylor Swift a valentine.” Reading Eagle. - Will Wright, video-game designer (SimCity, Spore)
Source: Seabrook, J. (2006, November 6). “Game Master.” The New Yorker. - His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge
Source: Kensington Palace, Prince George Nursery Announcement. December 18, 2015.
Not Montessori Alumni
Through communications with reliable sources, we have confirmed that—contrary to popular belief—the following did not attend Montessori school:
- George Clooney, actor and humanitarian
Source: Correspondence between Stan Rosenfield, George Clooney's agent, and the American Montessori Society. - Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia
Source: Correspondence between Jimmy Wales and the American Montessori Society.
Fact or Fiction?
Search the Internet for “famous Montessori alumni” and some or all of the following will appear on schools’ webpages. However, despite considerable research—including, in some cases, outreach to schools they purportedly attended—we haven’t (yet) been able to substantiate the claims.
- Beyoncé Knowles, vocalist, performer, and GRAMMY Award winner
- T. Berry Brazelton, pediatrician and child psychologist
- Joan Cusack, Emmy-Award-winning actor
- John Cusack, actor
- Bill Gates, principal founder of Microsoft Corporation
- Katharine Graham, journalist and publisher
- Friedensreich Hundertwasser, artist and architect
- Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, editor and former First Lady
- Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook, Inc.
- His Royal Highness Prince William Arthur Philip Louis, Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn, Baron Carrickfergus, Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter
- His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales
If you have conclusive evidence that they, or any other well-known person not already on our list of Montessori alums attended Montessori school, we would appreciate it if you would contact us. Examples of evidence that will validate your claims: a photo of the person in a Montessori class you attended or taught; a citation from a memoir by the supposed student; a citation in a biography that includes a credible reference for the source of the information.
Usage Rights & Citations
For each individual featured on this page, we have cited the reliable source we used to affirm the accuracy of the information provided. Our reliable sources include firsthand accounts by the persons themselves in diaries or in interviews; information shared by their family members or representatives; and information published in well-regarded publications.
Please note that the photographs on this page are not the property of AMS, and may not be reproduced. We have received written permission for publication on our website only. To publish them elsewhere, either digitally or in print, would be in violation of copyright law.
NBA MVP Stephen Curry: "Montessori helped me become the person I am today."
Stephen Curry explains how his Montessori background gave him the confidence to become the National Basketball Association’s Most Valuable Player.
