Save The Date For The Spring Auction
January 10, 2019
The biggest event of the year, Spring Auction 2019–Once Upon a Time, will be on May 11, 2019 at the Vadnais Heights Commons. Become a sponsor and get early access to the Silent Auction, Great Gatherings, and the special Pre-Party all while supporting MPA! You can also help by donating auction items–see our wish list below to get inspiration or just stop by the Development Office in Lower School.
November 15, 2018
by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School
If you have logged into Facebook or checked your email today, you are well aware that today is Give to the Max Day. Across the state of Minnesota, this day is a celebration of the power of philanthropy to change lives. For MPA, today marks a celebration of our generous donors who are so very dedicated to our students and who believe in making an impact on our school community.
The mission of Mounds Park Academy is vibrant and powerful, delivered by talented and caring teachers, and is having a tremendous impact on the lives of our students each day. Impact means to have a strong effect on someone or something. You share in that impact by the value you place on learning, the investment you are making in the education of your children, and your commitment and support of Mounds Park Academy. Read More
Your Gifts Make College Counseling Possible
November 5, 2018
This article is the fourth in a series called “The Fall Campaign Stories of Impact: Five Weeks, Five Stories, Five Reasons to Give.”
Think of a list of common fears, and a familiar few come to mind. Public speaking. Air travel. Spiders. And here in Minnesota, an early snow! Another typical source of anxiety is the college application process—a journey in U.S. culture that’s often driven by worries about attending the “best” school, instead of the right school.
Lisa Pederson, MPA’s director of College Counseling, addresses that sense of dread head-on, with compassion, expertise, and a proven program that empowers students to customize their college search based on their unique strengths, interests, and long-term goals. “The best fit for one is not the right fit for the next, even among high-achieving, academically strong, and otherwise talented students,” says Pederson. “Today’s college admissions professionals are looking for the authentic voice in their applicants, not a packaged one that checks every box.” Read More
Meet MPA Talks Speaker Kelly Turpin ’04
October 22, 2018
Kelly Turpin is an art producer in Minneapolis. She is an advocate of opera and art as a social movement and strives to produce work that is accessible, inclusive, and challenging, in ways that engage and educate communities. She received opera performance degrees from Ithaca College (BM) and Arizona State University (MM) and continues to perform locally. At MPA Talks, Kelly will be discussing her journey as an opera singer to artistic activist, which is how Arbeit Opera Theatre came to be. She has always wanted to make a difference, be at the forefront of change and societal progress, but only recently discovered how she could do that with her background in opera.
We asked Kelly several questions so that you could get to know her better prior to MPA Talks!
We ask our students to dream big and do right. Do you feel that call to action is important to the future of our society and if so, why?
Yes! And it’s something I don’t think should or will ever change. However, I think it should begin with doing right. Acting with integrity sometimes comes with more of a risk than it should. It’s a guarantee of difficult situations and decisions along the way but in striving to live with integrity through every action and choice it’s also a guarantee of progress and positive change. With determination to do right and uphold truth through passion there’s nothing that can hold you back on achieving those big dreams. Read More
Meet MPA Talks Speakers Gabby Law and Julia Portis
October 17, 2018
Gabby Law and Julia Portis are both seniors at Mounds Park Academy who worked as teaching fellows with Breakthrough Twin Cities this past summer. At MPA, Gabby captains the tennis, Nordic skiing, and track teams, and has earned several awards in speech and debate. She is a student ambassador, peer leader, and co-leads Social Consciousness Club. When not being a concertmaster to the school’s orchestras, All-State Choir member, and licensed beekeeper, Gabby is busy applying to colleges. Julia is is heavily involved in speech, music, theater, student council (co-president), peer leaders, ambassadors, and debate—interacting with different people and mentors. She also enjoys attending events that allow her to advocate for her beliefs. She also loves traveling and spending time with friends and family.
We asked Gabby and Julia several questions so that you could get to know them better prior to MPA Talks!
Who inspires you to be better and how?
GL: My students inspired me to take full advantage of my educational opportunities. Their lack of access to small class sizes and hands-on learning during the school year reminds me of just how lucky I am to go to a private school. Because of them, I give 100% at school. Read More
Your Gifts Make Transformational Learning Possible
October 15, 2018
This article is the first in a series called “The Fall Campaign Stories of Impact: Five Weeks, Five Stories, Five Reasons to Give.”
At MPA, we know that educational aha moments aren’t limited to the school day or the four walls of a classroom. That’s why experiential learning off campus is built into the curriculum, allowing students to grow and explore in a variety of settings that cultivate a genuine joy of learning.
For Bridgette Shannon’s eighth grade son DJ, attending this fall’s Eagle Bluff overnight was truly transformational. “He came back a different person, with a different perspective on life,” she says. The Eagle Bluff experiments around ecology and conservation continued to make an impact at home, long after the trip ended. “Coming out of Eagle Bluff, he doesn’t want to be wasteful or careless,” says Bridgette, “from not stepping on a bug to cleaning his room!”
Relationships were another powerful part of the Eagle Bluff experience for DJ, which was especially important as a student new to MPA. “They hiked in the woods and had to navigate their way back, work together as a group, and really bond,” Bridgette explains. “There was a student who was uneasy about being away from home, and DJ was able to support his friend, and help him build confidence.”
Meet MPA Talks Speaker Laurel Schwartz ’11
October 10, 2018
Laurel Schwartz ’11 is currently a multimedia producer and social advocacy student at Columbia University. “Or, [I’m] a social scientist with a track record for getting things done,” she says.
After graduating from Mounds Park Academy, Laurel attended Scripps College, where she studied American studies and media studies. She has spent the last several years work at advertising agencies and PR firms creating media both for fortune 500 brands and for social advocacy causes. Additionally, her self-produced documentary about chronic illness appeared in several film festivals last spring.
We asked Laurel several questions so that you could get to know her better prior to MPA Talks!
What do you believe will be the greatest challenge our current students will face in their lifetimes and how do you see MPA equipping them to face that challenge?
When I graduated from high school, I knew two things: first, that I was passionate about history and social change, and, second, that creativity made me tick. What I didn’t know was that one day, there would be a job that would allow me to use my creativity to make a difference in the world. MPA is so remarkable because it is an institution that truly allows each student to find what uniquely gets them fired up in the morning and helps students imagine opportunities, solutions, and even jobs that don’t exist yet. MPA equips students to follow their curiosity for the world. Read More
Thank You For An Amazing Homecoming!
October 4, 2018
Thank you to all our athletes, parents and families, volunteers, alumni, faculty and staff, and students who made Homecoming such a success! We had a great turnout at the Fun Runs and our Lower School National Anthem singers made several of us tear up at their performances. The food trucks served good smells along with their yummy food and our athletic teams had strong, competitive showings. The community laughed, shared stories, decorated faces, grabbed fun swag, threw beanbags and frisbees, and jumped in the bouncies. The air was crisp and the sounds of fun and laughter carried from the soccer field to Lansing Center.
It takes teamwork to bring all of the marvelous fun, good food, great sports, and community connections together. Thank you, everyone, for being a part of the team! Enjoy the joyful moments with our photo collection!
September 27, 2018
It’s Homecoming! Fall has arrived, campus-wide Homecoming decorations are underway, and the Panther even made a guest appearance at the South Entrance this morning.
We can’t wait for you to join us for a full day of activities and athletic events this Saturday, September 29. The day starts bright and early with our 200M Fun Run at 8:30 AM, followed immediately by our 2-Mile race. Join us in the Lansing Center for coffee and breakfast treats at the Concessions stand, hosted by the MPA Spirit Committee. Head into the Lansing Center at 9 AM to hear our 3rd and 4th graders sing the National Anthem to kick off our annual Volleyball tournament. Go back outside and warm up as you race a friend through the obstacle course bouncy house. Make your way over to the tennis courts to cheer on our Panthers as they compete against Cretin Derham Hall and Woodbury! After tennis, go to the big tent and decorate your face, get a tattoo, pick up a t-shirt, claim a frisbee, or sip from a Homecoming cup. Read More
Y’all Come Back Now. You Hear?!
September 20, 2018
by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School
I am showing my age and asking you to perhaps share yours. Growing up in the 70s, that phrase is very familiar to me. I heard it an inordinately, embarrassing number of times, sprawled on the living room floor, watching reruns of the “Beverly Hillbillies” television show. It is not proper English for a number of reasons and it may well be a stereotype of the South, but I think it conveys a family-like warmth and means, “We all belong here.”
“We All Belong Here” is the message of homecoming at MPA and the reason we celebrate all next week, culminating in a day-long celebration on Saturday, September 29. At many schools, homecoming pertains only to older students, athletes, and alumni. At MPA, homecoming is an inclusive, community-wide celebration. Throughout the week, and on Saturday, students of all ages will take part in the festivities. Parents, grandparents, and all family members are invited to join in the fun. It is for all of us. Read More