Karen DuBerke-Montenegro has been an educator for 7 years and teaches Spanish 1 and 2 in grades 9-12 at Arcadia High.  She earned her BA from Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington and her Masters from Point Loma.

Karen became fluent in Spanish while living and working in Guatemala for three years.  While in Guatemala, she worked with a grass-roots organization in raising consciousness in North Americans as to how our lifestyle affects the rest of the world and what we can do to empower people to better the lives of all. 

At Arcadia High, Karen has been the World Languages Department Chair and a support provider for new teachers.  In the classroom, she keeps her students engaged through a variety of speaking, listening, reading and writing activities and through participating in Spanish cultural activities including El Día de los Muertos and Las Posadas. 

Karen says she enjoys creating new curriculum that is designed to move students from one level to the next of language usage.  The reward is in seeing the students enthusiastically engage in the new activities and watch their language abilities grow from learning about the language to actually beginning to use the language. 

Karen is a Sunday School teacher and Vestry member of her church.  Outside of work she keeps busy with her two children and enjoys scrapbooking.