Samantha Montes
Meet Samantha.
Community starts growing with our youngest neighbors, and folks like Samantha Montes that shape young minds and hearts are helping shape our community’s future! A longtime South Pasadenan, Samantha’s passion for hands-on learning, creativity, and relationship-building is legendary.
About the Legend
Introduce yourself!
My name is Samantha Montes. I go by Ms. Samantha during the week, Jujube in the summer, and Sam or Samantha on the weekend. A former Elementary School Teacher, I own and run the local after-school program for a little over 11 years and have been a proud South Pasadena resident for almost 20 years.
Please tell us a little bit about your family.
I have a blended family. Between me and my partner, we have 5 children, three of whom are my own. I have two adult children and one who still lives at home. Now that my two eldest daughters are no longer living at home, I am outnumbered by 4 boys. So you can just imagine what it's like at the dinner table.
What are you passionate about? What do you love about what you do?
My life's work occupies the majority of my time and as much as I try to exercise life-work balance, it's very challenging to do so when you love what you do. Once a teacher, always a teacher. Though I am not in the classroom in the traditional sense, I still am in a different way. I am passionate about cultivating children's love for learning through playing and allowing them to do so in a space that allows them to be children. I love discovering their strengths and utilizing them to guide them in navigating the world around them. I care so deeply about social-emotional learning and am always interested in learning about how to nurture children's Emotional intelligence (EQ). I love giving them a platform to step up and exercise their leadership skills.
When I successfully make time to practice work-life balance, I love to dance and I love learning how to dance. This year, I joined a Filipino Cultural Group and performed a Filipino folk dance in front of my family and friends. I love learning different types of dance with my neighborhood Mom friends. Before the pandemic, a friend from down the street transformed her garage into a dance/workout studio, and a group of Moms in the neighborhood used to go weekly and learned several dance choreography in which we performed in intimate social gatherings.
With my family, I love to travel and go on road trips as much as my busy work life permits. Shared experiences with my children have evolved since my two eldest daughters moved out. I love traveling internationally with my adult daughters and getting to know more about the new places we visit by getting tours. But now that my daughters aren't at home, spending time with my family with 3 boys has shifted to more local activities. One of our boys is passionate about space so our family has become members of the LA Astronomical Society. Since then, we've been part of the star party at the Griffith Park Observatory, and we set up our telescope and have the public view the amazing planets on a clear night.
As you can see, life is truly busy for me, and two days during the weekend isn't enough to reset and recharge for the week. So even when I still have a lot to do in the house, I just make it okay not to do them all and schedule my priority to do something by myself and for myself. My favorite thing to do for myself is to go to the beach or to be with nature. I love to just sit on my low beach chair, my feet on the sand and a book in my hands.
Life is a series of projects. There is not just one project that occupies me but if I had to choose a project, I am in the middle of opening a second center outside of our lovely city and hoping to build and support a team to do good things in that community.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
When I get to practice work-life balance, I feel like I've achieved something great. When I've been able to move on after my divorce, I think I've achieved something even greater. But when I was able to open my own school amidst losing my mother just two weeks prior, I feel like I've achieved something greatest.
What inspires you?
So many things inspire me – A great art exhibit, when I see children learn how to resolve conflict in the healthiest way, when I listen to a podcast of someone teaching something about anything (self-development, financial and travel life hacks, weird science discoveries, and people who share what they love to do). In essence, it inspires me to learn, meet, and be surrounded by people who love what they do and are doing something with it to make our planet a better place to be. Period.
What is something on your bucket list?
I used to have a bucket list, but I no longer do. For the past 3 years since the pandemic, I prefer to have a REVERSE Bucket list. Instead of writing down places I want to go and visit before I hit the bucket, I savor and spend a lot of time feeling grateful for the places I've visited. I find myself happier and able to live in the present moment.
Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
I see myself doing the same thing honestly but perhaps mastering the work-life balance a little more.
Your South Pasadena Story
Tell us your South Pasadena story! How did you come to live or work in this community?
I was actually raised in Highland Park, the city adjacent to South Pasadena. But when I became a parent and had the opportunity to stay home a bit with my daughter, I searched for family activities to do with her; the library and the Farmer's Market just magnetized me to move here.
How long have you lived or worked in our community?
I've lived in South Pasadena for almost 20 years and worked in the community or 13 years.
What words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word "HOME"?
HOME is a place that is cradled by a community that also feels like home - safe, caring, and unconditionally loving.
What is your go-to "happy place" in South Pasadena?
The Farmer's Market and the area around the Library.
What local landmark, business, organization, etc. feels to you like it captures the South Pasadena spirit?
The parameter between Mission, Meridian, and El Centro.
What is your favorite community event or social outing in South Pasadena?
The 4th of July parade.
What do you think makes South Pasadena so special?
Its location and the people. It's a small neighborhood so close to the big city. I love both, and I feel like living in South Pas gives me access to both things I love. Everything you need is within a 1-mile radius.
Some Fun Stuff!
What is the last show you binged? What show(s) are you hooked on right now?
Ted Lasso, and Queen Charlotte. I currently do not have time to binge on a show at the moment.
What are your top three favorite MOVIES?
Too busy to watch movies.
Who is your favorite artist? What kind of visual art inspires you?
I love artists who can turn any objects into art. To me, children's art really hits me to the heart. But If I had to choose an adult artist, I would say I'm really inspired by the work of assemblage artists like Noah Purifoy.
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