June 2, 2020
Please join in the celebration of the service work for the class of 2020 in a virtual display on the MPA website. Due to the COVID19 pandemic, the annual Senior Service Fair could not be held on campus as usual, so the Fair was moved to a virtual format allowing seniors to share their service reflections with the larger community. While we all wish we could be together in person, this online display is still a great celebration of what the seniors were able to get done. Given the events of the spring of 2020, their accomplishments are especially hopeful and impressive.
There were a large variety of service projects this year. Students did work with the Minnesota Youth Ski League, volunteered with the organization Serving Shepherds, coached for a local tennis nonprofit, delivered meals for Meals on Wheels, and much more. Senior Aaliyah Kellogg volunteered with a nonprofit called Female Refugees for the Future, which was started by two of her classmates, Nasri Maktal and Priya Manda. The organization aims to help first generation women and immigrants through service and education. “I’m so appreciative of this opportunity to connect with womxn and hear their perspective and experiences,” shared Aaliyah, “It is so important for people to be allies for other groups as they can help amplify and spread their message while still giving individuals the platform to do so, and I’m so grateful I was able to do this.”
Nathan Harvanko conducted research for the History Unfolded, which is a program run by the National Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. “I looked through newspapers from the Twin Cities and St. Cloud,” said Nathan, “and found many interesting articles which told bits and pieces of the story of the Holocaust.” Nathan’s research helps the National Holocaust Museum gain a bigger picture about how Americans were learning of the Holocaust through their daily newspapers.
These highlighted service projects are only a small snapshot of how the Class of 2020 gave back to their communities this year. Visit the Upper School Community Service Project page to read more about their projects.
