Natalie Scholten is a high school math teacher at Alpha Omega Academy. She is a graduate of Westmont College, a private Christian liberal arts college in Santa Barbara, California, where she majored in art before earning her math credential and master’s degree in education from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She enjoys getting to know students and working with them one-on-one.
“I love teaching math and helping kids understand difficult concepts,” Scholten said, “but being an art major, I also have an appreciation for students whose strengths lie outside of mathematics.”
Although Scholten was born in California, she lived in Kenya from the time she was a year old until she graduated from high school. As the child of missionaries, Scholten is grateful for her religious upbringing.
“Growing up in a missionary community and coming from two strong Christian extended families, Christ has always been a part of my life,” she said. “My own personal relationship with Christ really developed in middle school and high school as that was a really challenging time for me relationally. Despite the typical ups and downs, I have experienced the Lord’s faithfulness and provision consistently in my life even in the midst of really challenging circumstances.”
In college, Scholten played polo on horses. Today, some of her favorites include drinking tea, eating Neapolitan pizza, watching Sense and Sensibility, and spending time with her husband.
“Our favorite thing to do is find new places and try new or different restaurants. We especially love going out for breakfast,” Scholten said. “We also love playing games. We play Euchre all the time with our friends and play good strategy board games with my family.”
Favorite Verse: “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14a).