Nancy had a vision to honor and guide the important work of childhood and learned that it takes a community to raise young humans who go on to change the world. 

Nancy Hildick’s interest in early childhood education began in the 1950’s while working alongside her mother, Patricia Hickox, in the family’s small childcare center in Multnomah Village. However, while studying Art History at University, she did not yet realize how the education of young children would become the guiding vision of her life and legacy.

After college, Nancy attended a conference where she discovered the Montessori approach that changed the course of her career and life.  That same year, Nancy and her mother set out to prepare an authentic Montessori early learning environment. In 1968, the mother and daughter team opened their first Montessori classroom in a former church building on SW Vermont Street in Portland and named it West Hills Montessori School. 

At that time, the Montessori movement had scarcely made its way to Portland and Nancy became instrumental in supporting the development of a regional Montessori community of educators and schools. While working tirelessly to grow the West Hills Montessori School community, and raising her own two children, Nancy co-founded the Oregon Montessori Association in 1978. She recruited an AMI teacher trainer, Rita Schafer, to come to Portland and train Montessori teachers and, in 1979, Nancy co-founded The Montessori Education Center of Oregon; now known as Montessori Northwest. 

Ever active in lobbying the Oregon Legislature for rule changes in support of Montessori programs in Oregon, Nancy also served as Treasurer for the North American Montessori Teacher Association (NAMTA) for ten years while also administering West Hills Montessori School and its rapidly expanding programs.

In 1980, Nancy was among the first graduating class of AMI Montessori guides in Portland.  Nancy Hildick is a true pioneer in the movement to bring quality Montessori education to Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. Today, Portland boasts one of the most vibrant Montessori communities in the nation, and West Hills Montessori School celebrates almost 60 years guiding children who go on to make the world a better place. This is Nancy’s proud legacy.

In honor of her lifelong devotion to Montessori education, we have established the Nancy Hildick Scholarship Fund to inspire and support young Montessorians in training.

To be eligible for the Nancy Hildick Scholarship you must:

• Plan to work as a Guide at an Oregon school for a full three-cycle

• Demonstrate financial need

• Be accepted into any MNW AMI Diploma Program starting in 2027

• Maintain good academic standing throughout the program at MNW

• Scholarship only available to U.S. citizens

The Application requires three short-responses (approximately 300 words in length) to the following:

• Share your career plans for the next 3-5 years.

• Why did you choose an AMI Diploma Program? Why did you choose to apply to Montessori Northwest’s program?

• Tell us about a personal accomplishment of which you are proud.

Applicants must also submit the following income/tax details to be considered:

• copies of income tax returns for the two most recent tax years

Note: We encourage you to prepare your responses and financial details prior to starting the form as you will not be able to save the form.

Please note:

• Applications accepted March 15 - April 22, 2027

• The information requested on the scholarship form is confidential

• Incomplete forms will not be considered

• Awardees will be notified via email starting May 1, 2027

• Awards are applied toward learner's final tuition payment