November 21, 2019
MPA Music Teachers, Mari Espeland and John Habermann, have been wanting to create an Alma Mater for MPA for years. But as the 2019-20 school year began, our campus went through many changes, Mr. Habermann gained more experience composing music, and MPA entered its 38th year; the timing just felt right.
As a founding faculty member and renowned English teacher, John believed Anne Atchison was the perfect candidate to write the lyrics. From the heart, she wrote and drafted the words to perfection, leaving the rhythmic lines comprehensible enough for our Alma Mater to be sung by everyone, from our littlest Panthers in PreK to our entire alumni community. Mr. Habermann said that the song’s tune came quickly after the lyrics were written. The arrangement was basically finished after an inspiring MPA Homecoming.
Oh, Mounds Park Academy,
To you we sing our praise,
For guiding our purpose and path,
Our voices and spirits we raise.
With hope and promise we aim
To dream big and ever do right.
With joy, respect and honor,
We walk through the world as light.
You teach us how to think
And instill values from the start.
We strive to make a difference
And serve others from the heart.
MPA, you inspire us
To be whom we are meant to be.
Oh, Mounds Park Academy,
We lift our gratitude to thee!
The MPA Alma Mater first debuted at the Upper School Vocal Concert on November 13, but it will not take long for our beautiful new song to spread across the community. Ms. Espeland is going to teach it to her Lower School classes while MPA tenth grader Maren Gunderson asked Mr. Habermann if she could design a cover for the sheet music. The Alma Mater will also be sung at the annual Winter Caroling on December 20 at 7:30 AM! Thank you to all who have both had a hand in creating MPA’s Alma Mater, as well as those who will spread joy singing it for years to come. Listen to the Upper School concert choir sing the Alma Mater here!
