Alumni Archives

May 24, 2018

This is an excerpt from Nicholas Guiang’s ’18 senior speech, delivered on Friday, May 18, to Middle and Upper School students, faculty and staff, in the Nicholson Center. As a school community, we are immensely grateful for his family’s 24-year commitment to Mounds Park Academy.

Dear MPA,

Today I hold a unique challenge. I am not only thanking you for my time over the past 13 years, but I also hold the responsibility of thanking you for my family’s past 24 years.

For me, this spring signifies the end of those 24 years. It is the end of high school, childhood, and the end of a huge part of my life. In the fall, I will be heading off to Northwestern University to pursue my love of journalism, broadcasting, and sports. On June 9, I will toss my cap in the air on this very stage and these past 13 years, and the 13 years that each of my three older brothers spent here, will simply be the stories of old. However, MPA, you have been more than a school, you have been our home.

Thank You For Your Support!

May 17, 2018

The Spring Auction – Under the Big Top was a great success, building community among current parents, alumni families, grandparents and faculty and staff while raising nearly $200,000 in support of MPA! Thank you for your enthusiasm and generosity. A special thank you to our Spring Auction Chairs, Scott and Jennifer Holloway, our Spring Auction Committee, and all the volunteers who made this event possible! We can’t wait to see you at next year’s event! Take a look at all of the photos from the wonderful evening here! Read More

Summer Volunteer Opportunities With MPA

May 17, 2018

Summer is almost here, and the Office of Admission is excited to be a part of several fun summer events and we are looking for volunteers to help us share MPA. MPA will be at the MSP Mini Maker Faire, Grand Old Day, and the Twin Cities Pride Festival. Plus, the Twin Cities Mom’s Blog Heroes event was just aded to our summer event calendar, and it’s being hosted right here at MPA! Volunteers can sign up here on a first come, first served, basis. Thanks so much for considering and we can’t wait to see you this summer!

A Joyful Update from Kristen Bourne ’13

May 17, 2018

On May 5, 2018, I graduated from Northern Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science. I attended NMU for five years which allowed me to start working toward a master’s degree.

Along with my education, I had the honor of racing for the cross country ski team at NMU for the entirety of my college experience. Over those five years, my passion for skiing grew and it became quite evident that pursuing it professionally was the next step.

Having made this decision, graduation marked the beginning of my professional cross country ski career. I will be moving to Oslo, Norway on May 25 to train and race for the elite team, Lyn Ski. A few members of the team competed in the most recent Olympics in Pyeong Chang, South Korea including Olympic gold and bronze medalists in the 30 kilometer mass start. I will be training with them, along with many others, and come the winter, racing throughout Scandinavia.

Additionally, I have an internship at the Oslo Sports Trauma Institute helping with research in sports injuries. I’m very grateful to my family, friends, professors, teammates, and coaches for helping me get to this point. I’m extremely excited to see what the future holds in this next chapter of life!

Committed to Science and Storytelling

May 17, 2018

Meet Blair Benham-Pyle ’06, a passionate scientist on her way to solving important scientific questions destined to improve our world. Blair is doing her post-doctoral research in regenerative medicine at the Stowers Institute, a highly innovative center for biomedical research. She’s currently immersed in studying the cute, but highly unusual, planarian flatworm, an organism that exists by breaking apart and cloning itself. Unlike other organisms in the process of regeneration, these worms amazingly do not get tumors or show signs of aging.

“My job as a scientist is to understand—through rigorous study in the lab—how they are able to control stem cell growth so robustly that they can protect themselves against cancer and aging,” explains Blair. “We want to know their life strategies and how a tiny group of cells can be cleaved off without damaging their basic blueprint. In layperson’s terms, we are trying to break apart that black box and apply our discoveries to improve human health.”

Blair has always had the heart and mind of a scientist, recalling her many opportunities to experiment at MPA and delve deeply into subjects of interest with her teachers. She appreciates that she was given freedom to explore across many disciplines, including ethics, constitutional law, and writing. Evidence of these skillsets is seen in her work today.

Class Of 2018: William Thao, Hudson, WI

May 16, 2018

As the 2017–18 school year comes to an end, we’re sharing the college choice stories of several members of the Class of 2018!

In what grade did you come to MPA? 4th Grade

How did you come to choose the college that you did? Colby College was actually not at the top of my list until I visited the school. At the beginning of the year, I had over twenty schools on my list, but I sat down with Ms. Pederson to talk about my choices. We drew a chart of the schools on my list and organized them by location, price, chances of being accepted, and strength of programs that interested me. I knew I wanted a very small school that emulated the learning environment of MPA but also had the opportunities and programs I was interested in. Right when I arrived on campus, I knew Colby was the school I wanted to attend. I loved the campus and the people, and I was confident that the environmental science program would be an enriching experience.

Host An International Student

May 16, 2018

As spring arrives and the 2017-18 school year begins to wind down, we are excited to welcome at least three and up to seven new international students to MPA next year from China, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam!

Some of these students come to us after one year in an American public school under their belts, while others will be arriving from their home countries in August, stepping foot on our campus for the first time.

As we prepare for their arrival in August, we are looking to expand our pool of host families in order to make the best pairings and happiest homes for all.

Mounds Park Academy will actively support the student and the host family through the entire MPA experience including:
• orientation for host families and students;
• continuous support for families and students;
• quarterly activities for families and students;
• English as a second language (ESL) and academic support;
• college application and preparedness counseling; and
• a $9,000 room, board, and transportation stipend to the host family (made possible by the MPA International Program’s tuition and housing fees).

Students Discovering Their Voices

May 10, 2018

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

Monday mornings are generally a flurry of meetings at Mounds Park Academy. Both the Lower School and the Upper School begin the week with division-wide meetings intended to keep the respective community informed, share what is happening in the classroom, celebrate milestones and important achievements, and build community. Monday morning meetings also give voice to students and intentionally invite engagement into the life of the school.

We’d Love To See You At The Spring Auction!

May 3, 2018

Don’t miss out on the community building, exquisite cuisine, and wonderful entertainment at the Spring Auction on Saturday, May 12 at the JX in Stillwater! It is a cherished annual event that created MPA community memories and connections that last a lifetime. We would love to see you there, celebrating our school with us and having a wonderful night out! Click here to purchase your tickets online!

Enjoy this sneak peak of some of our Great Gatherings and Silent Auction Items…

Great Gathering: Clay Workshop with Ms. Buck
Ever wish you could learn to throw on the potter’s wheel or make a handmade cup to use for your morning beverage? Join MPA’s ceramic teacher and professional potter Lisa Buck for an action-packed workshop on pottery making. Be prepared to get dirty, partake in lively conversation, enjoy a delicious lunch and thrive in the joy of success! Limit six students (adults only!) October 27

Teaching Students to Make a Difference

May 3, 2018

by Erica Brewinski ’96, Middle School Director

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month, you will now find a guest blog post here from one of MPA’s division directors. We hope you will enjoy reading their stories and reflections about life at MPA!

“You can change the world.” When I think back on my education at MPA, these are the words that always come to mind. Maureen Conway, retired Upper School history teacher, repeated them to her students so many times that no one could doubt that we had the ability to shape the future for the betterment of the world around us. After graduating from MPA, I put these words into action by creating a new program in which Brown University students were paired with developmentally disabled adults in the Providence community so that the latter could learn and practice important life skills. While the rest of my college friends volunteered in pre-standing programs or, more likely, didn’t bother with service at all, I felt both empowered and compelled to take action to address a need that I knew would make a difference. MPA provided me with the skills, courage, creativity, and perseverance necessary to create something from scratch, including programming, budgeting, advertising, locating and working with a large number of community partners, and more in a place where I could no longer rely on family and friends for help. It also guided me to choose a career in education, since I could think of no better way to make a difference than by guiding the next generation.