September 14, 2015
Mary Cooper Barsness, formerly Mary Bosch, taught middle school language arts and social studies at MPA from 1996-2000. When her son was born in 2000, Mary left MPA to raise him. However, you never really leave MPA behind, as the connections you make with the MPA community are strong and lasting.
In July of 2014, Mary’s son Willi, who was 14 at the time, fell off a longboard and fractured his skull. His injuries were life-threatening. Now, Willi is on the mend and recovering from his accident. Mary and Willi are now encouraging everybody to wear a helmet and have begun a campaign called “No Helmet No Ride.” Mary is making an impact on the lives of skaters by educating them about the importance of helmets and safety.
Mary also made an impact on the lives of other MPA students far beyond her years as a teacher. Annie Potish and Melissa (Goldberg) Dahlberg (Class of ’07), wrote an alumni profile in 2013. Both teachers now themselves, they mentioned Mary (Mrs. Bosch) as an inspiration in their reflection on their time at MPA. Mary, after reading Annie and Melissa’s profile and after her son’s accident, was reminded again of the strength and depth of MPA connections, replying, “That makes me cry. I feel humbled and proud. … Do you remember the quilt you all made for him? I still have it. I had it brought up here. He used to love it so much. When he was in a coma I talked to him about it and told him it was on him. You all wrapped him in your love. That class of kids that I had when I became a mother sticks with me so strongly. Being pregnant through that year changed how I felt about teaching. You were all my kids. Always will be.”
Read more about Mary, Willi, and No Helmet No Ride.
