Upper School Archives

MPA Students Named NASA Scientists For A Day

June 16, 2020

Congratulations to rising MPA ninth graders Gigi and Bryan! The two students were named the NASA Scientist For A Day 2019-20 Winners for Grades 7-8 on the topic of Miranda.

“Humans are driven to explore. To question. To wonder. Wishing to further our understanding of the universe beyond Earth. So that someday, the impossible might just become possible,” Gigi and Bryan wrote in their final submission. “Miranda, the fifth largest moon of Uranus. Some would refer to it as the Frankenstein moon. Many speculations have been made about how the moon came to be. But we don’t truly know for sure. With a variety of textures, grooves, craters, and fractures coating its surface, you cannot help but ask, ‘How were those created? Would it be the same on the other side of Miranda? Or would it be different?’ We won’t know unless we look deeper. This unusual discovery is something worth learning more about.” Read the rest of their report on NASA’s website here!

Students Continue The Conversation

June 15, 2020

The MPA Upper School Social Consciousness and Racial Justice & Equity Clubs are continuing their conversations throughout the summer.

Students (and faculty) involved in the clubs are partaking in a summer book club, where they we will be reading “How to Be an Antiracist” by Ibram X Kendi. They are also setting club goals for the next few months, and are making individual efforts to research and address topics like, “What are viable non-policing methods for security at school dances? Are mental health professionals an available resource for substance abuse concerns at school functions? Are school resource officers funded by the state?”

SCC and RJEC will also continue to share recommended resources for allies with all of their Upper School peers throughout the summer, such as podcasts, films, articles, and updates on our community actions and initiatives.

Summer At MPA

June 11, 2020

We are thrilled to have students in grades K-6 join us back on campus for summer fun at Panther Camp! While our time together is going to look a little different from previous years, our program goals remain the same: provide our campers with a high-quality, joyful, and engaging program in the context of a safe and healthy environment.

Panther Camp will run June 15-26 and July 6-August 14 from 8 AM-5:30 PM out of the Gallery and Nicholson Theatre spaces. You can register for daily, half-day, and weekly options. During camp students will explore nature, science, art, play, and do so much more.

To register for weekly Panther Camps, use the “create an account” or “login” tab and follow registration instructions. See additional information under the “Fees and Policies” link. Camp confirmation and details will be sent out upon registration.

Because of COVID-19, here are some of the changes we’ve made for a safe return to campus. Please know these measures are designed to provide the safest environment possible and are subject to change due to the evolving nature of the pandemic. They are based on recommendations by the Minnesota Department of Health and the CDC.

Learn more and register here.

Panther Camp Operations in Response to COVID-19

No-contact drop-off: When entering through the Gallery doors, a staff member will greet campers and run through the symptom checklist with parents, including a temperature check. Once completed and cleared to enter camp, staff will direct campers to their area in the Gallery or Nicholson Center.

Area Assignments: Campers will be assigned to a consistent spot within the program space for indoor learning & activities. Campers will also be given an individually labeled materials bin for their supplies (markers, scissors, glue stick, etc.). Read More

Class of 2020: Graham Li

June 11, 2020

As the 2019–20 school year comes to an end, we’re sharing the college choice stories of the Class of 2020!

In what grade did you come to MPA?

I came to MPA in 10th Grade.

How did you come to choose the college that you did?

I chose Purdue University based off its excellent options for majors and areas of study.

What are you most excited about as you embark on your college experience?

I am excited about taking some challenging courses and learning new things. Read More

Class of 2020: Izzy George

June 8, 2020

Izzy George As the 2019–20 school year comes to an end, we’re sharing the college choice stories of the Class of 2020!

In what grade did you come to MPA?

I came to MPA in 9th grade.

How did you come to choose the college that you did?

I thought I didn’t really know what I wanted in a college, and that’s why I decided the day before the deadline. But when I chose Grinnell, I knew it was the right choice. I chose Grinnell College because I knew I wanted a small school. MPA has a really small community that I love, and I knew I wanted to have a similar experience in college. Grinnell is also far enough away to really feel like I’m leaving, but it is still fairly close to home.

What are you most excited about as you embark on your college experience?

I’m excited to begin this new part of my life, learn new things, and meet new people. I’m also excited to follow my passions and see where they take me, and I’m especially excited to be more independent. Read More

Class of 2020: Charles Grimes

June 5, 2020

Charles Grimes As the 2019–20 school year comes to an end, we’re sharing the college choice stories of the Class of 2020!

In what grade did you come to MPA?

I came to Mounds Park Academy in 9th grade after looking at a variety of college preparatory schools in the Twin Cities area. MPA’s small class sizes, laptop program, and modern facilities piqued my interest during open houses and my shadowing experience. However, I ultimately chose MPA for high school because I knew my time there would be a valuable experience full of opportunities to try new things, find a passion, and challenge myself.

How did you come to choose the college that you did?

I chose to attend Barret Honors College at Arizona State University because it is a small academic community within a larger university setting. I found during my time at MPA, small classroom sizes were a huge factor in my academic success and wanted a similar environment for college. Barrett offers these small class sizes with focused and dedicated faculty, yet has the resources and opportunities of the larger university. Therefore, I chose Barrett because the combination of both these factors will best prepare me well for success later in life. Read More

Building A Better Future

June 4, 2020

by Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

“Together, we are building a better future. By cultivating critical thinking, creative inquiry, and social responsibility, we inspire and empower our children to improve an ever-changing and sometimes, challenging world. We do that though a rigorous, yet joyful, education delivered by an exceptional faculty dedicated to fostering caring relationships with their students.”

Those were my words in my first Panther Post message of the 2019-20 school year, on August 29. As construction finished on our new Family Commons and Martin Lenz Harrison Library, I seized upon the metaphor of building as a theme for the school year, challenging ourselves to provide the vision, blueprints, tools, and materials our students need to realize our mission, fulfill their potential, and positively impact our world. I could never have imagined just how prophetic the theme would turn out to be.

The world is, indeed, ever-changing and challenging and our lived reality this spring and early summer has made that abundantly clear to all of us. The COVID-19 pandemic accentuated the strengths and flaws of ourselves, our institutions, and our society. And yet, our students emerge stronger, with the resiliency, flexibility, and independence that might not have otherwise been cultivated if not for the pandemic. Our exceptional faculty were able to pivot quickly while never losing hold of the caring relationships they have with students. Families have been supportive and understanding as difficult decisions have been made to keep our community safe.

The raw, visceral murder of George Floyd and ensuing unrest and violence has laid bare the fissures of society many gloss over or choose to ignore. Yet through critical thinking, creative inquiry, and honest conversation, our young people hold the promise of change where our generation, and generations before us, have failed. The MPA curriculum, grounded in character education and the humanities, in concert with the sciences, provide the tools and materials necessary to build a better future, to “stir the human spirit, stand for justice, and shake the world.” Indeed, building a better future requires our students to dream big and do right.

Thank you for entrusting your children to MPA—I am grateful for your partnership this school year. We are united in our shared belief that education is fundamentally an act of hope and that by investing in our children, we are indeed building a better future. I am confident that the strength of our community will carry us forward to a new day. Have a wonderful summer and I look forward to coming together in August.

PS: Please know you will hear from me on a regular basis this summer, as I share more information about plans for the fall. Our next communication is scheduled for Tuesday, June 23. Do not hesitate to reach out to your division director as questions arise!

Five Class of 2020 Members Receive Graduate Certificates of Distinction

June 3, 2020

Five MPA seniors received and presented on their Graduate Certificates of Distinctions last week. For the first time in MPA history, three seniors were STEM recipients: Misk Khalif, Jordan Akers, and Annie Portoghese. Two seniors were Fine Art recipients: Charles Grimes and Solveig Svenniveg-Brosi.

Graduate Certificates of Distinction are designed with the belief that Upper School students can be architects of their education. The program recognizes students who have a passion within a discipline that drives them. These students are exploring their passions while staying committed to a balanced education. All MPA Upper School students are eligible to work toward a single Certificate of Distinction in one of three areas: Fine Arts, Global, or STEM.

Misk spoke on her role as founder and executive director of the STEM Center For Girl Innovators, where she manages operations such as tutoring, science experiments, coding, and mentorship programs. She is a passionate advocate for gender and racial equity in the STEM field, which is why she founded the Center for Girl Innovators early in her STEM career. With hopes to pursue a degree in medical research, she centered her final project on Gut-Brain Axis, which is the biochemical reaction between the nervous and gastrointestinal systems. Read More

2020 Virtual Senior Service Fair

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.

Mental Health During Virtual Learning

June 1, 2020

At Mounds Park Academy, our community is built upon shared values, strongly committed to freethinking and collaboration, diversity and connection. Right now, our shared commitment to each other is helping us collectively get through today’s uncertainty with understanding and compassion. Our whole-child approach that attends to the intellectual, social and emotional growth of our students is apparent now more than ever, even though we are not physically together.

MPA’s distance learning classes are continuing to challenge and engage our students intellectually (see example at Innovation & Student-led Learning Enhance Online Science at MPA). At the same time, our students are connected to each other and their teachers—and to our school counselors, a critical lifeline to both our students and parents who are guiding us on how to persevere during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our connected community, built on our small classes, means that our children are known and understood, which is critical given current levels of stress, fear and uncertainty, as is our collective creativity to meet the social, emotional, and intellectual needs of our students. Read More