Alumni Archives

May 17, 2018

Meet Blair Benham-Pyle ’06, a passionate scientist on her way to solving important scientific questions destined to improve our world. Blair is doing her post-doctoral research in regenerative medicine at the Stowers Institute, a highly innovative center for biomedical research. She’s currently immersed in studying the cute, but highly unusual, planarian flatworm, an organism that exists by breaking apart and cloning itself. Unlike other organisms in the process of regeneration, these worms amazingly do not get tumors or show signs of aging.

“My job as a scientist is to understand—through rigorous study in the lab—how they are able to control stem cell growth so robustly that they can protect themselves against cancer and aging,” explains Blair. “We want to know their life strategies and how a tiny group of cells can be cleaved off without damaging their basic blueprint. In layperson’s terms, we are trying to break apart that black box and apply our discoveries to improve human health.”

Blair has always had the heart and mind of a scientist, recalling her many opportunities to experiment at MPA and delve deeply into subjects of interest with her teachers. She appreciates that she was given freedom to explore across many disciplines, including ethics, constitutional law, and writing. Evidence of these skillsets is seen in her work today.

Class Of 2018: William Thao, Hudson, WI

May 16, 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? Colby College was actually not at the top of my list until I visited the school. At the beginning of the year, I had over twenty schools on my list, but I sat down with Ms. Pederson to talk about my choices. We drew a chart of the schools on my list and organized them by location, price, chances of being accepted, and strength of programs that interested me. I knew I wanted a very small school that emulated the learning environment of MPA but also had the opportunities and programs I was interested in. Right when I arrived on campus, I knew Colby was the school I wanted to attend. I loved the campus and the people, and I was confident that the environmental science program would be an enriching experience.

Host An International Student

May 16, 2018

As spring arrives and the 2017-18 school year begins to wind down, we are excited to welcome at least three and up to seven new international students to MPA next year from China, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam!

Some of these students come to us after one year in an American public school under their belts, while others will be arriving from their home countries in August, stepping foot on our campus for the first time.

As we prepare for their arrival in August, we are looking to expand our pool of host families in order to make the best pairings and happiest homes for all.

Mounds Park Academy will actively support the student and the host family through the entire MPA experience including:
• orientation for host families and students;
• continuous support for families and students;
• quarterly activities for families and students;
• English as a second language (ESL) and academic support;
• college application and preparedness counseling; and
• a $9,000 room, board, and transportation stipend to the host family (made possible by the MPA International Program’s tuition and housing fees).

Students Discovering Their Voices

May 10, 2018

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

Monday mornings are generally a flurry of meetings at Mounds Park Academy. Both the Lower School and the Upper School begin the week with division-wide meetings intended to keep the respective community informed, share what is happening in the classroom, celebrate milestones and important achievements, and build community. Monday morning meetings also give voice to students and intentionally invite engagement into the life of the school.

We’d Love To See You At The Spring Auction!

May 3, 2018

Don’t miss out on the community building, exquisite cuisine, and wonderful entertainment at the Spring Auction on Saturday, May 12 at the JX in Stillwater! It is a cherished annual event that created MPA community memories and connections that last a lifetime. We would love to see you there, celebrating our school with us and having a wonderful night out! Click here to purchase your tickets online!

Enjoy this sneak peak of some of our Great Gatherings and Silent Auction Items…

Great Gathering: Clay Workshop with Ms. Buck
Ever wish you could learn to throw on the potter’s wheel or make a handmade cup to use for your morning beverage? Join MPA’s ceramic teacher and professional potter Lisa Buck for an action-packed workshop on pottery making. Be prepared to get dirty, partake in lively conversation, enjoy a delicious lunch and thrive in the joy of success! Limit six students (adults only!) October 27

Teaching Students to Make a Difference

May 3, 2018

by Erica Brewinski ’96, Middle School Director

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month, you will now find a guest blog post here from one of MPA’s division directors. We hope you will enjoy reading their stories and reflections about life at MPA!

“You can change the world.” When I think back on my education at MPA, these are the words that always come to mind. Maureen Conway, retired Upper School history teacher, repeated them to her students so many times that no one could doubt that we had the ability to shape the future for the betterment of the world around us. After graduating from MPA, I put these words into action by creating a new program in which Brown University students were paired with developmentally disabled adults in the Providence community so that the latter could learn and practice important life skills. While the rest of my college friends volunteered in pre-standing programs or, more likely, didn’t bother with service at all, I felt both empowered and compelled to take action to address a need that I knew would make a difference. MPA provided me with the skills, courage, creativity, and perseverance necessary to create something from scratch, including programming, budgeting, advertising, locating and working with a large number of community partners, and more in a place where I could no longer rely on family and friends for help. It also guided me to choose a career in education, since I could think of no better way to make a difference than by guiding the next generation.

Explore County Donegal, Ireland!

April 26, 2018

This Spring Auction item will have you planning for your four-night stay for four at the luxurious Waterfront Hotel Dungloe in stunning County Donegal, Ireland, in no time! Voted the coolest place on the planet by National Geographic, Donegal boasts spectacular views, endless outdoor activities, and is host to the sets of Game of Thrones and Star Wars. The beautiful Waterfront Hotel with stunning views overlooking the Atlantic Ocean is a 49-bedroom luxurious hotel located in the heart of the Rosses. This stunning property offers amazing food and your stay includes complimentary breakfasts. The Waterfront Hotel on the Wild Atlantic Way has something for everyone with a range of overnight packages including golf, walking, angling and family breaks. The hotel is approximately a 45-minute drive from Letterkenny, voted one of the world’s top 10 most scenic landings and offering daily flights from Dublin and Glasgow, and 10 minutes from Donegal Airport. This auction item includes two rooms for four nights, breakfast each morning, three days with a local, personal concierge/tour guide, and a $4000 voucher with AerLingus.

An MPA Retirement And Celebration

April 26, 2018

Mary Beggin, a beloved Lower School teacher at Mounds Park Academy, has decided to retire at the end of this school year. While she may not come to our campus next year, her legacy will live on through the many students she has taught throughout the past 45 years, 20 of which were spent at MPA.

Mary, who has taught second, third, and fourth grade at MPA, is exceptionally passionate about teaching and has truly enjoyed her teaching career. She loves her children as if they are her own—connecting deeply with each and every one of them and their families.

Mary is known for going above and beyond for every child, having tutored and provided extra learning support for many Lower School students. She genuinely wants each child to recognize and focus on his or her strengths—she wants each child to feel even better about herself or himself when the year ends.

Technology, Values, and Advice

April 19, 2018

David Siegel ’04 is a techie, philosopher, and creative thinker. Blending his love of technology with a sensitivity to human flourishing, he is driven to understand how technology affects people. “I’m naturally skeptical of the techno-utopian tenet that technology will inevitably create the world we want,” he shares, “so I’m concerned with building technologies consistent with our core values.”

Currently working as a design leader at Microsoft in San Francisco, he also recently founded a company around his open source project, quicktype.io, which he summarizes in layman’s terms as “autocorrect for data.” After eight months since David began working on quicktype as a side project, it’s approaching 30,000 monthly users and is snowballing in popularity with developers. He expects to reach 100,000 users per month and to build a business on top of the open source foundation this year.

During his years at MPA, David gravitated mostly toward Spanish, film, writing, and critical thinking. He especially loved arguing contentious topics with others, which was encouraged at school. He was also personally motivated to seek knowledge about emerging technologies, and MPA’s laptop program was vital.

After graduation, David attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned dual degrees in philosophy and computer science engineering. Despite graduating summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, he admits he has never used his resume and has reported directly to the CEO at every position he’s held (until joining Microsoft via acquisition in 2016).

Meet Teja Upadhyaya ’17

April 19, 2018

What are you currently doing, professionally and/or personally?

I am currently a freshman at the University of Minnesota. In addition to this, I am a 4/C Marine Corps option Midshipmen at the NROTC unit here with a commissioning date of May 2021. After commissioning I will serve as a 2nd LT in the United States Marine Corps

How did you get there? Are there some career moves or other key experiences or relationships that have inspired you?

MPA inspired me to think about the bigger picture and this was the driving force that inspired me to enter military service. Through MPA I learned to love education which is why I decided to go down the officer route.