Leah Kuperman

Staff Writer

Born in a city near San Diego known as the “avocado capital of the world,” Ms. Kristi Butterworth, Milken’s new visual arts teacher, moved to Los Angeles only a few months before the start of the school year.

Since coming to Milken, Butterworth has been pleasantly surprised by how warm the entire community has been.

“I was expecting rough patches [but] everyone is so welcoming and friendly and supportive,” Butterworth said.
   Butterworth has always had a passion for visual arts, beginning in her mother’s print shop when she was a child.

After school, Butterworth would come to her mother’s shop and make all sorts of crafts from the paper supplies. Her favorite was a small paper purse containing matching paper “makeup.” Her passion for teaching began in the 8th grade when Butterworth was inspired by her English teacher.
 Butterworth attended the University of Southern California School of Architecture, earning her Bachelor’s degree in architecture with a minor in art history.

In addition to art, Butterworth loves doing ballet, baking, reading fiction novels, and her three cats. She also has some rather unique characteristics.

“I have an obsession with the number 11 [and] Rubio’s bean and cheese burrito,” she reveals.