Special Events Archives

March 6, 2018

by Vance Ryan ’08

Mounds Park Academy was integral to making me who I am today. Even in kindergarten, we were asked to give presentations to our classmates on countries in South America. That presentation was just the beginning of the approach MPA takes towards preparing students for the world not only after grade school, but also after college. While I have yet to give a presentation on Suriname in my career, I still use the public speaking and critical thinking skills I learned at MPA as a part of that mentality every day in my career.

Every Panther can make a gift of any amount during today’s Alumni Challenge! moundsparkacademy.org/donate

This Is Why I Give. How About You?

March 6, 2018

by Nate Bander ’09

I give back because MPA gave me a lifelong community. I remember returning to campus for the first time after I graduated, at the Alumni Basketball Tournament when I was freshman in college, and realizing right then and there as I walked into and was greeted by friends, and former teammates and coaches, that MPA was worth supporting with whatever I had to contribute.

Every Panther can make a gift of any amount during today’s Alumni Challenge! moundsparkacademy.org/donate

This Is Why I Give. How About You?

March 6, 2018

by Annie Stewart ’11

Donating during the Alumni Challenge is my way of saying thank you. I may not be able to give a large donation, but I know that every dollar that I give goes to supporting great teachers, amazing facilities, and a school that continues to help me grow.

When classmates have asked me why I give, I tell them that I remember back to my Middle School drama class when Mrs. Bradley gave me my first part in a class play. I never would have guessed that my experiences in her class would lead me to pursue a degree in theater in college. I give because I want to ensure that the next generation of MPA students are able to have their own transformational experiences, and be mentored by exceptional faculty and staff.

Every Panther can make a gift of any amount during today’s Alumni Challenge! moundsparkacademy.org/donate

Today’s The Day!

March 6, 2018

Today, Tuesday, March 6, we are calling on our alumni community to participate in our annual 24 hour giving challenge! As a nonprofit institution, we rely on financial contributions to support the programs and opportunities that our students take part in.

When alumni show their support by participating in the Alumni Challenge, they not only affirm their faith in the teachers that supported them, but they show the community the reach and impact that MPA alumni can truly have on the world—from Youth Ambassadors to the United Nation to socially conscious business owners to MPA Panthers running through Times Square!

We are beyond excited to see how you challenge each other and the collective impact you will have on this day!

To make a gift, visit moundsparkacademy.org/donate!

This Is Why I Give. How About You?

March 6, 2018

by Jeremy Drucker ’97

When I started at Mounds Park Academy in sixth grade I lacked academic confidence. Not only did I struggle with subjects I didn’t have an aptitude for, but I was also oblivious to the things I did well. MPA helped me realize not only how to master those things I had difficulty with, but also how to embrace and bring to bloom those areas where I did have a knack.

Whether it was reciting the first 18 lines of Chaucer’s Canterbury tales in Old English for Richard Meacock’s sophomore English class, or doing improv in Mrs. Poehling and Mrs. Bradley’s drama classes, or researching and writing history papers for Mrs. Conway, or having Mrs. Docherty yelling encouragement to finish strong down the final stretch of a two mile race in the rain at the conference track meet, MPA prepared me for and put me in challenging positions where I needed to push myself past where I thought I could go, but with the support I needed until I learned how to do it myself.

These experiences gave me an exceptional educational foundation that has served me well ever since, be it in college, graduate school or my professional life. It is an incredible advantage for which I am grateful to this day, and hope that every person should be as fortunate as I was.

Every Panther can make a gift of any amount during today’s Alumni Challenge! moundsparkacademy.org/donate

Tuesday’s The Day!

March 4, 2018

We are beyond excited to see how you challenge each other and the collective impact you will have on this day!

To make a gift on that day, click here.

Become A Sponsor For The Spring Auction!

March 1, 2018

Sponsors for the 2018 Spring Auction receive special recognition on the website and printed materials and are invited to the exclusive pre-party, where they will have special access to the silent auction, great gatherings, and games. Sponsors also support Mounds Park Academy’s faculty and staff by allowing us to provide them with complimentary tickets to the event.

There are many different sponsorship levels, including Community Sponsor, Host Sponsor, and Family And Friends Sponsor. Community Sponsors receive two complimentary tickets to the gala, two complimentary tickets to the Private Sponsor Pre-party, the company name and/or family name on auction program, on-site recognition, website recognition, and help cover the cost of two teacher tickets.

Host Sponsors receive two complimentary tickets to the gala, two complimentary tickets to the Private Sponsor Pre-party, on-site recognition, website recognition, and help cover the cost of two teacher tickets.

Family And Friends Sponsors receive two receives two complimentary tickets to the gala, two complimentary tickets to the Private Sponsor Pre-party, on-site recognition, and website recognition.

Thank you for your support! You can find more information about sponsorship and the Auction at moundsparkacademy.org/springauction.

MPA Talks: Meet Ling DeBellis

February 26, 2018

Ms. Ling DeBellis was adopted from Guiping, China in 2001 and has an undiagnosed neuromuscular condition. She’s a life long patient at Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare in St. Paul. She attends MPA and lives in North Oaks with her family. This year, Ms. DeBellis is a member of the Young Women’s Initiative Cabinet of MN to advocate for a better Minnesota where all women have the opportunity to thrive.

We asked Ling some questions so you could get to know her before hearing her speak at MPA Talks on March 13! Take a look!

Who inspires you to be better and how?

My parents. My friends. My teachers. My community. The world. Their courage in me inspires everything I do. They care about me and teach me and trust me, so it’s my duty to show them how much I appreciate their endless dedication by aspiring to change the world.

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?

Alumni Challenge 2018

February 22, 2018

On Tuesday, March 6, we are calling on our alumni community to participate in our annual 24 hour giving challenge! As a nonprofit institution, we rely on financial contributions to support the programs and opportunities that our students take part in. When alumni show their support by participating in the Alumni Challenge, they not only affirm their faith in the teachers that supported them, but they show the community the reach and impact that MPA alumni can truly have on the world—from Youth Ambassadors to the United Nation to socially conscious business owners to MPA Panthers running through Times Square!

We are beyond excited to see how you challenge each other and the collective impact you will have on this day!

To make a gift on that day, click here.

MPA Talks: Meet Hannah Sullivan

February 22, 2018

Hannah Sullivan has been teaching science at MPA since 2004. She grew up in New Hampshire and attended high school at Phillips Academy in Andover, MA. She went on to study Civil and Environmental Engineering at MIT. She is passionate about science education, the outdoors, and spending time with her own two young boys.

At MPA Talks, Hannah will discuss what it looks like when we create a career that gives us a sense of pride and purpose, how to discover opportunities to use our talents and pursue our passions, and how we can make space to engage our passions in our careers.

We interviewed Hannah so that you could get to know her better before hearing her speak at 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?
I think there many different ways to approach dream big and do right. We need people who are making the world a better place on many different levels. We need local leaders, teachers, healthy role models. We need to support our friends and family. We also need national and global leaders. If we can inspire our students to think about how they can make an impact on the community around them, on any scale, then we are setting everyone up for a better future.