March is designated as Women’s History Month, a time to honor and celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women worldwide. This includes homeschooled women who have improved their communities, left their marks on history, and became role models for the young women of today. Here is a list of ten contemporary women who were homeschooled as children.
1. Sahale Eubank
2. Abigail Breslin
Abigail Breslin is an American actress who achieved fame at a young age, having been in films like Little Miss Sunshine, Nim’s Island, and Zombieland. She was homeschooled from a young age, which allowed her to pursue acting while still receiving a quality education. She is an advocate of homeschooling, citing it as a way to gain independence and explore interests in a more individualized way. Abigail has been involved in numerous philanthropic endeavors throughout her career. She has supported charities such as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Feeding America, illustrating her commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of others. She frequently uses her social media channels to raise awareness about animal cruelty and promote animal adoption. Abigail Breslin is passionate about environmental issues and actively supports organizations that work towards conservation and sustainability.
3. Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman is an Academy Award-winning actress, director, and producer. She was born in Jerusalem and raised in the United States. She was homeschooled by her parents, who strongly believed in the importance of education. Portman excelled in her studies and graduated high school at the age of 16. She went on to attend Harvard University and graduated with a degree in psychology. Portman speaks multiple languages including English, Hebrew, French, German, Japanese and Arabic, to various degrees. Her success in school and her career demonstrates the potential of homeschooling and the power of dedication and hard work. She has had a prolific screen career from her teenage years, and gained international recognition for her role in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Portman is an advocate for various causes including women’s rights, environmental issues, and animal welfare, supporting organizations like the Human Rights Foundation and the Jane Goodall Institute.
4. Bethany Hamilton
An avid surfer since age 8, Bethany Hamilton started homeschooling after sixth grade so she could devote more time to the sport. On October 31, 2003, while surfing near her home on the North Shore of Kauai, Hawaii, a tiger shark attacked her, severing her left arm. Less than a month later, the teen returned to surfing with an unbelievably positive attitude. Overcoming all odds, she went on to win several professional championships. She launched her own foundation, Friends of Bethany, to support shark attack survivors and traumatic amputees, and she is a spokesperson for Beating the Odds Foundation and Foundation for a Better Life. Bethany is also active in the Women’s Sports Foundation, Walking on Water, Life Without Limbs, and Christian Surfers. The story of her determination to rise above adversity and turn tragedy into opportunity has inspired millions. Now married with four children, Hamilton continues her involvement in numerous charitable efforts, including Friends of Bethany. She also offers mentorship classes on faith, healing, personal health, and relationships.
5. Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is not only an American actress but also a filmmaker and humanitarian. Her father, Jon Voight, left the family when she was less than a year old; her mother, Marcheline Bertrand, focused on raising her children. Angelina was homeschooled because she found the structure of traditional schooling difficult. The homeschooling environment allowed her to learn at her own pace and explore her creativity. Her homeschooling experience also taught her to take responsibility for her learning and gave her the confidence to pursue her dreams. As a child, she often watched films with her mother and it was this that inspired her interest in acting, rather than her father’s successful career. Jolie first attended Beverly Hills High School, where she felt isolated and was teased by other students. She transferred to Moreno High School, an alternative school. She also attended the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute. Jolie witnessed first-hand the effects of a humanitarian crisis while filming Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) in war-torn Cambodia. Tomb Raider made her an international superstar, while the experience brought her a greater understanding of the world. She became noted for her advocacy on behalf of refugees as a Special Envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, by undertaking field missions to refugee camps and war zones worldwide. Other causes she promotes include conservation, education, and women’s rights.
6. Candace Cameron Bure
Candace Cameron Bure is an American actress, who is known for her role as D.J. Tanner on the popular sitcom “Full House.” She began her career in the early 1980s and has since appeared in numerous television shows and movies. Not many people know that Candace was homeschooled from kindergarten until she graduated high school. She credits homeschooling with allowing her to pursue her career at a young age, and today she is a strong advocate for homeschooling. Cameron Bure, who has produced several movies for Great American Family, told WSJ Magazine, “My heart wants to tell stories that have more meaning and purpose and depth behind them.” A role model to several generations of young women, Candace is a woman of faith who speaks proudly of her love of Jesus Christ and the word of the Bible. Candace Cameron Bure’s advocacy for volunteering and supporting The Salvation Army aligns with her commitment to philanthropy and giving back to the community.
7. Venus and Serena Williams
The Williams sisters, Venus (b. 1980) and Serena (b. 1981) are regarded among the best tennis players of all time. The superstar tennis sisters were coached from an early age by their parents Richard Williams and Oracene Price. Vowing to turn his daughters into champions, Williams wrote up a 78-page plan and started giving lessons to them when they were four years old. He also homeschooled Venus and Serena so they could focus on their tennis careers. Having played in competitions starting at the age of five, the two began playing professionally as teenagers and became stars of the sport in the late 1990s. The Williams sisters dominated women’s tennis for three decades, and helped black women to feel there’s a pathway for them to the top of the tennis world. Venus uses her global recognition to pay it forward through humanitarian work with several organizations. One notable initiative is to help provide opportunities to underserved communities that are similar to the one she grew up in California. Serena Williams has served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, championing the UNICEF Schools for Africa initiative serving the most marginalized and vulnerable children.
8. Lila Rose
Lila Rose, president of the pro-life group Live Action, is on a mission to help transform people’s hearts and minds when it comes to abortion. Homeschooled through high school while attending a Christian school and junior college part-time, Rose was only 15 years old when she founded Live Action in 2003. After enrolling in UCLA, she started a pro-life student magazine, The Advocate, which is now distributed to over 300 high school and college campuses nationwide. Rose’s undercover campaigns at Planned Parenthood centers across the country have exposed staff breaking laws, covering up abuse, and giving out inaccurate medical information. Rose believes “anyone can change” – and indeed, faced with the facts about the abortion procedure, many people who were once pro-choice have become pro-life.
9. Jackie Evancho
Jackie Evancho is an American singer and songwriter who rose to fame at the age of 10 when she competed in the fifth season of America’s Got Talent in 2010. She was homeschooled throughout her childhood and is now a successful recording artist and performer. She has released five solo albums, and an EP, and has appeared in television specials and films. She also performed at the Presidential Inauguration of Donald Trump in 2017. In a 2022 interview with People magazine, Jackie opened up about her battle with body dysmorphia and an eating disorder while growing up in the spotlight, revealing that she has the “bones of an 80-year-old” caused by anorexia-induced osteoporosis. Jackie’s candid description of the grip her eating disorder had on her was refreshingly honest, proving that to be a good role model you must embrace imperfection. Jackie shows that being a role model is not about striving for an arbitrary vision of perfection but by being committed to your true self.
10. Juliette Turner Jones
Juliette Turner Jones is the author of the best-selling Our Constitution Rocks (2012), Our Presidents Rock (2014), and That’s Not Hay in My Hair (2016). Juliette served as the National Youth Director of Constituting America, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to teaching America’s upcoming generation about the Constitution. A professional public speaker, Juliette educates students and adults across the country about the Constitution and how to effect change through the legislative and amendment process. Juliette graduated from Rice University in 2020 where she majored in English, Philosophy, and Business. She went on to Harvard Law School, where she served as Managing Editor to the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy. Juliette is now an associate in the Washington, D.C. office of Quinn Emanuel attorneys. She joined the firm in 2024 after graduating cum laude from Harvard Law School.
Hats off to famous homeschooled women past and present who forged the way for future generations, by inspiring other young women to do something with their lives and make a difference in the world around them!
