Save The Date For Homecoming 2018!

bouncy house at homecoming 2017We all belong here! All families PreK-12 should save the date to come and celebrate MPA Homecoming 2018 on Saturday, September 29!

The weekend is a wonderful way to celebrate who we are, where we come from, and where we are going together. Whether you’re a parent cheering on your athlete, an Upper School student competing, a Lower School student excited for the bounce houses, or an alum coming back to celebrate a milestone reunion, this is an opportunity for all of us to support and celebrate MPA. Come home to connect with us and one another, and to celebrate MPA.

You can find all of the event details at moundsparkacademy.org/homecoming. We can’t wait to see you there!


Heidi Kunz Mahtomedi Invitational

Heidi Kunz Mahtomedi InvitationalAfter being rescheduled from April to May due to snow, the Heidi Kunz Mahtomedi Invitational brought with it all the cold, rain and wind of early April, yet MPA athletes overcame the poor weather with strong performances across the board.

On the girls side, the 4x800m team of senior Sarah Ley, sophomore Skylar Cernohous, ninth grader Katie Dahiya, and seventh grader Margo N. placed third. Sophomore Nasri Maktal made her season debut in the 100m hurdles, running a personal best of 21.51. In the 100m, senior Quinn Campbell ran a personal best 14.26 to place fifth. The girls 4x200m team of junior Ellie Quam, sophomores Catherine Moore, and Aaliyah Kellogg, and ninth grader Izzy Quam placed fourth with a time of 1:53.84, just off the MPA top 10 list.

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Section 4A True Team Meet

true team meetThe Panthers traveled to Howard Lake-Waverly-Winstead High School on May 8 for the Section 4A True Team Meet.

In a typical meet, only the top eight individuals and top six relays score, but in a True Team meet, every participant scores. There are 16 teams in Section 4A, and with each team able to put up to two athletes in an event, many individual events had 32 athletes. This is a very competitive meet and MPA athletes stepped up with great performances.

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St. Croix Lutheran Invitational

boys tackOn Wednesday, May 23, the Panthers traveled to West St. Paul for the St. Croix Lutheran Invitational. With most MPA athletes performing in the choir concert, MPA focused on the first events and only entered those not in choir in later events.

On the girls side, our relays made a statement. MPA girls placed first in the 4x800m with a time of 10:43.5. The team of Junior Gabby Law, ninth graders Izzy Quam and Katie Dahiya, and seventh grader Margo N. ran almost a minute faster than any other team. The 4x200m team of senior Maya Sayers, junior Ellie Quam, sophomore Catherine Moore, and ninth grader Izzy Quam, placed second with a time of 1:51.9, good for a spot on the MSHSL honor roll and fifth best all-time at MPA. The 4x100m team of seniors Maya Sayers and Quinn Campbell and sophomores Aaliyah Kellogg and Catherine Moore finished third with a time of 54.0.

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IMAC Championships

imac champsMPA Track and Field traveled to Providence Academy for the IMAC Championships on Thursday, May 17.

The girls placed sixth with 27 points, just 3 points behind fifth place. The girls’ top finish came from junior Ellie Quam, who was the conference champion in the 100m hurdles, winning in a time of 17.52, just off her personal best. In the 800m, ninth grader Izzy Quam finished fifth, scoring for the Panthers with a personal best of 2:33.21 and just missing the MPA top 10 list.  In the 1600m, seventh grader Margo N. scored for the Panthers with her sixth place finish. She ran 5:56.06, just off her personal best.

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IMAC Relays

IMAC boys relay teamMPA opened the 2018 outdoor season later than usual due to surprise April snows, but finally got underway with our first meet on May 3 at the IMAC relays, a relay-only meet.

Highlights from the girls team included the 4x1600m team of senior Sarah Ley, ninth graders Izzy Quam and Katie Dahiya, and seventh grader Margo N. placing third with a total time of 26:29.41.  Margo N. finished in fifth place in the 1600m individually with a personal best time of 5:53.35!  In the 800m sprint medley, the team of seniors Maya Sayers and Quinn Campbell, junior Catherine Moore, and ninth grader Izzy Quam placed second. Their time of 1:59.42 is the third fastest in MPA history!

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MSHSL State Championships

Blake henke at stateThree MPA athletes qualified for the MSHSL State Championships held on Friday and Saturday, June eighth and ninth at Hamline University.

Senior Blake Henke finished in fifth place in the Wheelchair Shot Put (Category 1) with a put of 12’8 ¾.  His throw established a new MPA school record in the Wheelchair Shot Put!

In the high jump, junior Yahya Madar placed fourth, clearing 6’5 in a near personal best performance.

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Section 4A Championships

The Section 4A Championships are the culmination of months of hard work for our team, and MPA athletes showed exceptional talent and drive at this competitive, 26-team meet.

On the girls side, our 4x800m team of junior Gabby Law, ninth graders Izzy Quam, and Katie Dahiya, and seventh grader Margo N. earned a medal with their fourth place finish.  In the 100m hurdles, junior Ellie Quam placed third with a time of 17.23, the fastest time at MPA in 15 years.

In the 4x200m, the team of senior Maya Sayers, junior Ellie Quam, sophomore Catherine Moore, and ninth grader Izzy Quam ran 1:50.36 to place second in their preliminary heat and qualify for finals.  That time was their fastest time this season, the third fastest time ever at MPA, and the fastest time since 1999.  While they didn’t do as well in finals, they still scored with an eighth place finish. Their time from prelims qualifies them for the MSHSL honor roll.

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2018 Upper School Awards Assembly

Julia portis receiving award from dr. Hudson Congratulations to all of the Upper School students who received honors and awards at the 2018 Upper School Awards Assembly! On Friday, June 1, the school gathered to commemorate all of these students’ achievements. Academic, National Merit, Scholarship, Yearbook, Choir, Band, Orchestra, Visual Art, Math, English, Science, Social Studies, Forensics, French, Spanish, Drama, Athletics, Service, Spirit of ’86, Junior Mission Statement, Certificate of Distinction, and Alumni Association awards were given. Please join us in congratulating the following students! View photos of the assembly or watch the assembly here!

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MPA Spring Athletics Highlights

We are excited to share many updates and highlights from the 2018 spring athletics season! While the season got off to a wintry start, the MPA athletes and coaches made up for their lost time with various achievements. Please congratulate and celebrate them with us!

  • Senior Rachel Lindrud qualified for State and placed fourth in the Section Golf competition, scoring 49-43/43-37 172. She will be representing MPA as an individual at the State Meet at Pebble Creek in Becker on June 12 and 13.
  • The MPA boys golf team placed first in Section 4A and qualified for State, winning by 12 strokes: senior Brock Bliese scored 40-39/39-34 152, senior Matthew Berning scored 39-41/40-41 161, senior Jackson Peacock scored 41-41/41-42 165, senior Joe Mecklenburg scored 44-42/42-38 166, senior Anthony Kuba scored 44-48/52-43 187, and senior Nicholas Guiang scored 48-47/45-53 193. They will be competing as a team at the State Meet at Pebble Creek in Becker on June 12 and 13.
  • The boys tennis team of junior Adam Reinke, freshman Alexander Vue, junior Aneesh Syal, freshman Diego Valverde, sophomore Dillon Vue, junior Karan Jain, eighth grader Mario L., junior Parker Law, and senior Travis Mudge won the Section 5A competition, defeating Hill-Murray with a score of 5-2 to advance to the State meet. They are playing on June 5 in the Team State Class A Tournament against Litchfield High School.
  • On June 7, Travis Mudge and and Dillon Vue will play doubles at the State Class A Tournament versus Luverne High School and Parker Law, ranked the number one seed in this tournament, will play against Minnewaska Area High School. Read more about Parker’s ranking in this recent Star Tribune article!
  • Junior Yahya Madar was the Section champion in the high jump at the Section 4A Track and Field championships, tying the meet and school record with a jump of 6’6.
  • Senior Declan Dahlberg placed first at Sections in the 3200m run with a time of 9:50.48.
  • Five individuals and four MPA relay teams earned medals for placing in the top six. Out of 27 schools, MPA’s boys were fifth and girls twelfth.
  • Three Panthers are moving on to the State track and field meet at Hamline University: senior Blake Henke in the Wheel Chair Shot, competing on June 8 at 3:30 PM; senior Declan Dahlberg in the 3200m on June 8 and the 1600m run on June 9 at 5:23 PM; and junior Yahya Madar in the High Jump on June 9 at 3:30 PM.
  • Coach Bev Docherty and Coach Nate Bander ’09 were named the Section 4A Track and Field Boys Head and Assistant Coaches of the year.