Alumni Archives

2018 Upper School Awards Assembly

June 7, 2018

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!

The Class of 2018 Senior Walk

June 7, 2018

After 13 years of joyful learning, the Class of 2018 took one final walk among their PreK through 11th grade friends to remember where they came from, celebrate what they have achieved, show gratitude for their community, and inspire those who follow in their footsteps. You can watch this touching tradition here!

Class Of 2018: Kate Van Hecke, Saint Paul, MN

June 6, 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? In fifth grade.

How did you come to choose the college that you did? I chose Wellesley because it valued curiosity, exploration, the empowerment of women, and educating the whole person—all things I value as well! I chose a women’s college because I want to surround myself with fierce, intelligent, and dedicated women who also care about the world around us. The world is coed, so being able to go to college in a place run by and dedicated to women is a phenomenal opportunity.

What are you most excited about as you embark on your college experience? I am so excited to continue studying foreign languages! Throughout my eight years at MPA, I’ve studied Spanish, French, and Arabic as well as Fante during my time abroad and the prospect of being able to add another language or two to that list is thrilling. I am also looking forward to learning to call a new place home—I’ve done it before, and it was incredibly rewarding.

Class Of 2018: Alissa Krohn, Oakdale, MN

June 4, 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? I was looking for colleges with strong chemical engineering programs, and I greatly appreciated Notre Dame’s strong community and commitment to using one’s education to make a positive difference in the world. I also liked that Notre Dame has a synchronized figure skating team, as this sport has been a major part of my life throughout high school.

Celebrating The Class Of 2018

May 31, 2018

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

If you happened to drive through the north parking last Friday, you no doubt noticed the playfulness of the seniors as they celebrated their last day of school. From filling the parking lot with cars parked askew, to the American Ninja obstacle course inside the north entrance that we all needed to traverse, to serving ice cream at 8 AM in the morning, the seniors showed a bit of mischievous humor. For that to serve as a last impression would be a mistake. They are a group of accomplished, multi-faceted, enormously talented, and genuinely good people.

Constitutional Law Goes To Court

May 24, 2018

On Wednesday, May 23, seniors in the MPA Constitutional Law class headed to the Minnesota Judicial Center to present arguments on current U.S. Supreme Court cases to panels of judges from the Minnesota Court of Appeals.

Filling four courtrooms in the building, each group of seniors presented their case for 30 minutes, including 15 minutes for both sides of the argument, similar to the way cases are truly argued before the Supreme Court. Each group has been working on one of six cases that the Supreme Court heard during this term.

MPA Is My Village

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!