We recently had the chance to connect with Natalia Montano and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Natalia, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: Who are you learning from right now?
Education must be aligned with the present, with today’s children, and with the real challenges they will face tomorrow. Right now, I’m learning from several transformative initiatives that are reshaping what meaningful education looks like.
One that has deeply inspired me is Escola Nova 21, which moves away from rigid content delivery and embraces a holistic, competency-based model. It integrates what we now know about how children learn, emphasizing collaboration, critical thinking, and the development of life skills.
I’m also learning from High Tech High in California, which is redefining school as a space for real-world, project-based learning. Their model encourages students to take ownership of their learning, work on interdisciplinary challenges, and connect deeply with their communities.
Another initiative I admire is Big Picture Learning, which focuses on personalized education through interest-based projects and mentorship. It’s a powerful reminder that education should be driven by each student’s passions and potential—not just by standards.
Each of these inspires me to continue shaping Aguamarina as a school that’s not preparing children for the past, but for a meaningful, empowered, and connected future.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Founder of Aguamarina Schools, a creative, passionate educator, and visionary entrepreneur on a mission to reimagine education by creating schools where children don’t just learn they shine with purpose, confidence, and joy.
Over the past 25 years, I’ve dedicated my life to designing educational spaces that are joyful, meaningful, and deeply human. Aguamarina began with a dream to build a school that felt like a second home, full of creativity, kindness, and purpose. Today, that dream lives on in our campuses in Miami, Mexico, and Colombia, where hundreds of children grow up with the freedom to be themselves, the structure to thrive, and the confidence to navigate the present with courage and heart.
What makes Aguamarina special? It’s more than a curriculum it’s a philosophy of education rooted in love, inquiry, and connection. We believe children aren’t vessels to be filled, but lights to be ignited. Our approach blends emotional intelligence, hands-on learning, and real-world skills like entrepreneurship, environmental action, and creativity because we’re not preparing kids for a distant future, we’re preparing them to live fully in the present.
This has become more than a school it’s become a way of living. We live and breathe the values we teach: curiosity, kindness, responsibility, and wonder.
Right now, I’m leading Aguamarina through an exciting transformation, inspired by the needs of a new generation of families. We’re building schools that reflect the world our children are growing up in more connected, more creative, and more uncertain while holding tightly to the values that matter most: community, purpose, and emotional well-being.
At Aguamarina, every initiative, every routine, every classroom moment is designed to help children become independent thinkers, kind humans, and joyful learners.
Aguamarina has become a way of living for me, for my family, and for everyone who is part of this vibrant and ever-growing Aguamarina world.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My school years were tough—I was an “out-of-the-box” student. From my oversized handwriting to my constant struggle with the clock (I’d always come back late from recess), each day felt like a challenge. I tried several schools, searching for a place where I could thrive.
At one of them, the director, Lucila, once sat down with me and said something I’ll never forget:
“Natalia, you are very creative and have a unique way of seeing the world. You’re going to achieve great things—just be consistent and believe in yourself.”
Her words left a lasting mark on me. She saw something in me before I could see it in myself—and I carry that with me every day.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Your kind and joyful soul is your light, and it’s always been with you. Being yourself and letting that light shine is your greatest strength. Hold onto it, nurture it, and share it proudly with the world. It will guide you through everything.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
They would say that what really matters to me is authenticity, purpose, and people. That I care deeply about doing things with heart, not just for the sake of doing them. That I’m obsessed with creating meaningful experiences—especially for children—that spark wonder, reflection, and growth.
They know I believe education should never be about ticking boxes, but about igniting lights. That I’ll always fight for a world where kids are seen, heard, and empowered to be themselves, wild ideas, messy drawings, upside-down questions and all.
And they’d probably laugh and say I can’t go five minutes without dreaming up something new, but that behind every wild idea, there’s a fierce love for this planet, for families, and for the future we’re shaping together.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope the story people tell about me is simple and full of heart. like, “Nata… just Nata.” The one who always added a creative twist to everything she touched, not to impress, but to make people feel. Feel seen, feel loved, feel special. I hope they say that my questions often unexpected, sometimes odd, always intentional sparked conversations that went deeper, that stayed with them. That through those questions, we laughed, cried, dreamed, and discovered together.
I hope they remember that I lived fully, always trying to create beauty with purpose. That I believed in children, in love, in boldness, in transformation and that I showed up, heart first, in everything I did.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.aguamarinaschools.com
- Instagram: @aguamarinaschools @natamontano
- Linkedin: Natalia Montano
