Fine Arts Archives

Reflections From The MPA Class Of 2025 Lifers

May 22, 2025

Approaching the end of their final year roaming the halls of MPA as students, we had the honor of interviewing many of the MPA Class of 2025 Lifers about their experiences at MPA, the only school they’ve attended for their entire academic careers.

All incredibly talented students with well-versed backgrounds in the arts, athletics, and academics shared memories and reflections of MPA past and present, looking toward the future well prepared by MPA. Ari Williams, Henry Schwartz, Camdyn Magnuson, Quentin Hawley, Navreen Biring, Lucia Braith, and Rowan Mulrooney are all set to graduate on May 31, joining the Joanne Olson Club, reserved for students whose entire K-12 or PreK-12 journey has taken place here at MPA.

Choosing a school for 13 years means becoming part of a close-knit community where every child is truly seen and supported. So we asked: How has MPA’s community supported and shaped you as a student, a human being, and a young person?

Henry: The teachers get to know you really well. Recently, Ms. Murr in class made a recommendation for a book that I might like based on how she knows me. I know you wouldn’t get that anywhere else. It’s really cool. It teaches you how to ask questions because the teachers have that kind of connection with you, and it’s not scary to go up to them, even if it’s your first year having this teacher.

Rowan: My entire identity has been shaped by Mounds Park Academy, but especially when referring to the college application process, I would not nearly have been able to do what I did without the help of Dr. Quam. Especially hearing from other schools, their systems that they have set up for college health are not nearly the same. Especially with teachers, it’s very one-on-one and very helpful. Read More

Five Things To Know About MPA From Aili R.

May 14, 2025

A lot of things make MPA special, but for eighth grader Aili, these are the top five things that stand out the most!

1. MPA allows students to express themselves.

There is a large variety of after-school activities and electives available for us to choose from. There are instrumental groups, theatre productions, sport teams, and so much more. Everyone is welcome to join, and all are very welcoming and friendly.

2. We have fun assemblies and social events.

MPA has many assemblies, such as Give To The Max Day and pairing assemblies, and events throughout the school year, such as concerts and shows, that allow us to interact with peers and students from other grades. During these events and assemblies, we get the opportunity to participate and support our friends.

3. I love that MPA is PreK-12.

As a PreK-12 school, I am able to have friends of all ages and grades. This allows me to be able to have friends from Upper School through extracurriculars instead of only students in my grade. Read More

Music And The Brain

April 29, 2025

At Mounds Park Academy, music is much more than an extracurricular activity. It plays a vital part in a child’s cognitive and emotional development by engaging the brain in ways few other disciplines can. It sharpens memory, strengthens attention, and boosts language skills. But beyond academic growth, music also nurtures empathy, creativity, and social and emotional intelligence through composing, performing, or simply listening. This is why music plays an essential role in Mounds Park Academy’s whole child, progressive, college-preparatory curriculum, PreK through grade 12.

In a time when standardized testing is heavily emphasized and there are rising concerns about math and science scores within our nation, parents might question MPA’s emphasis on arts education. From the school’s founding, our curriculum has reflected an intentional balance between academics and the arts. Through new and emerging research, we now know they were correct.

Cognitive Benefits of Music Education

The Frontiers in Neuroscience article, “How Musical Training Affects Cognitive Development,” states that children exposed to musical training have better verbal memory, language pronunciation and accuracy, reading ability, and executive functions, because of how the brain processes sound. Nina Kraus, author of “Of Sound Mind,” said “People think of the hearing brain as being a silo within the brain. In fact, our hearing engages our cognitive, sensory, motor, and reward systems.” Music learning is so powerful because it engages every one of the above systems into a single activity. Kraus asks us to consider playing the violin. “To play the violin, a student coordinates their motor, cognitive, and sensory system to be able to put their fingers on the correct strings and move the bow at the right time; to read musical notes on a sheet of music and know what sounds they represent; and to hear if the pitches and rhythms are correct and coordinating with other players at the same time,” she goes on to say that this elicits a certain feeling from the student playing the music, which triggers the reward system within the brain. Engaging these different systems makes learning music one of the richest and deepest brain activities humans can perform. Simply put, “Teachers resoundingly tell me that children who participate in creating music do better in school,” Kraus states. Read More

MPA Students Selected For Youth Art Month Student Exhibit

April 17, 2025

The MPA Art Department is very excited to share that several students were selected to participate in the 2025 MN Youth Art Month Student Exhibition! MPA is well represented in the exhibition by these Lower, Middle, and Upper School artists:

Andrew ’35
Maya ’33
Luke ’33
Evie P. ’31
Devin W. ’31
Ella B. ’31
Jenny Liao ’28
Grace Nelson ’26

With special congratulations going to our award winners:

First Place Elementary Flag Design: Ashlyn ’33
Second Place Elementary Division: Tillie ’34
Best in Show: Earl Martin ’25

The exhibit is presented by Art Educators of Minnesota and is sponsored by Blick Art Materials. We are so proud of the MPA representatives! Click here to see all the artwork of our participants.

Five Things To Know About MPA From Andrea Pugh

April 4, 2025

At MPA, Andrea pursues her interests while engaging in rigorous academics. Read on for what she thinks are the five things you should know about MPA!

1. There are a variety of theatre classes.

Theatre has always been a big part of my life. In MPA’s curriculum, I’m able to constantly do the activity I love in classes like musical theatre and winter show, and I love to participate in the Spring Musical.

2. MPA’s flexible schedule lets you do what you love.

I love all kinds of music, and at MPA, I can play in both orchestra and chamber orchestra, and in a jazz ensemble with band—an opportunity I got to fit into my schedule because of MPA!

3. Speech and debate are built into the curriculum.

A unique thing I learned coming to MPA is how debate is built into the curriculum to allow someone busy like me to still be able to join. Speech is also incredibly easy to join, and I found many friends through it.

4. MPA’s community is across all ages.

Because of MPA’s size, I’ve been able to form deep bonds with many people in different grades, which would be hard to do if the class environment wasn’t so personalized.

5. Academics are rigorous and supportive.

Though they are rigorous, MPA’s academics provide opportunities to delve deep into more complicated topics. At MPA, you always feel supported.

Five Things To Know About MPA From Hannah L.

March 27, 2025

PreK-12 life, teachers who care, a 32-acre campus, and more–read about Hannah’s MPA experience through her top five things to know!

1. We are a PreK-12 school.

We are able to connect with students much older than us and younger than us. It helps us learn leadership skills since we see much younger kids throughout the hallways. Having older students in the building sets examples for us to be the best version of ourselves.

2. We are able to have great student-teacher relationships.

Because of the small class sizes, teachers are able to meet with students on an individual level. They really get to know each and every one of us to help us learn better. Teachers at MPA are always available to offer support.

3. You’re able to pursue your passions.

MPA offers a lot of different extracurriculars for you to choose from. It’s great because you get to do what you enjoy and maybe try something new that you may end up loving, including sports, clubs, and more. I personally love to do lots of theater along with choir and orchestra. Read More

Five Things To Know About MPA From Elizabeth Jacobson Faye

March 12, 2025

Leadership opportunities, getting to explore her passions in the arts, and bonding as a class–these are the five things Elizabeth ’27 wants you to know about MPA.

1. Tenth grade takes an annual trip to Deep Portage.

Every year the sophomore class gets to go to Deep Portage together. It was so fun riding the bus and doing activities while getting to know my grade a bit better.

2. Creativity is encouraged.

In concert choir, we do a competition between sections where our section leaders take a popular song, change the lyrics to make them choir-related, and then we perform for a panel of faculty judges. This year my section (the altos) won, which was exciting.

3. MPA has a variety of offerings.

MPA offers lots of different art classes. Personally, as someone who loves art, it is really cool to try things I’ve never done before like ceramics. Read More

Then & Now: The MPA Theater Department’s Growth

March 5, 2025

from Sarah Ley ’18

“There’s no place like home” is a quote you may recognize from the 1939 classic “The Wizard of Oz.” Dorothy, the story’s protagonist, discovers that “home” isn’t so much a place as it is the people and experiences that bring her feelings of belonging and comfort. MPA often acted as a second “home” for us, thanks to wonderful faculty and staff, unique courses, and cherished friendships.

When I was a student, I found a home in the theater department. Thinking back on my favorite memories, many are defined by the musicals I acted in during Upper School. In Spring 2015, the first was “The Wizard of Oz,” directed by Elizabeth Seal. Opening after the retirement of beloved longtime theater director Barb Bradley, Oz marked a new era in the department. With a cast and crew of 60+ (no small feat considering graduating classes of ~50 students), the show drew veteran actors, newbies excited to explore theater, and, as munchkins, roughly 20 Lower and Middle Schoolers.

Since then, the theater department has continued to grow and adapt. Despite smaller cast and crew numbers following the pandemic, Middle and Upper School drama teacher and director James Lekatz shares that interest increases every year. In fact, the 2025 musical’s cast size will be double last year’s. Audiences have also returned en force, with several performances of the Winter Show selling out. Heather Mastel, Lower and Middle School drama teacher and director sees similar growth: this year’s Middle School Show, “Little Women,” boasted a cast of 25 and sold out all shows.

The Joy Of Being A PreK-12 Family

March 5, 2025

This message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the March 9 issue of Inside MPA. Click here to get in touch with Admission and learn more!

To close out the month of February, we gathered together in the Family Commons for “Remember the Time: A Black History Month Showcase.” The event was a wonderful reflection of connections forged between students of all ages–a distinctly PreK-12 experience.

Ahead of the event, students were immersed in research, combining prior knowledge with new findings and growing their appreciation and understanding. Older students mentored younger ones, guiding them through these discoveries, while they brought fresh perspectives that reminded us all of the joy in curiosity.

Then, the evening opened with a gallery-style viewing of student work displayed throughout campus. In Lower School, a model of the historic Tremé neighborhood in New Orleans and Basquiat-inspired artwork. In Middle School, educational videos describing biographies of influential inventors, scholars, activists, and artists. In Upper School, the halls were lined with a timeline of Black History in America. And so much more. Read More

Five Things To Know About MPA From Emily Baker

March 4, 2025

What five things do you need to know about MPA? MPA tenth grader Emily Baker is here to tell you. We’re so happy to see the campus pond and native gardens made her list!

1. Athletic teams are no-cut.

Don’t be afraid to join a team; MPA welcomes all skill levels! Whether you’ve been playing for years or just starting out, there’s a place for you. I’ve made so many amazing friends on the soccer team and have grown so much as a player.

2. Student ambassadors are here to help.

As the Middle School representative on our student ambassador leadership team, I get to help welcome new students and make their transition to MPA as smooth and fun as possible. It’s such a great way to connect with others and make everyone feel at home!

3. We have a lot of school spirit.

MPA is all about lifting each other up. This photo captures the amazing turnout at our last Homecoming soccer game, an early morning match where the community’s energy helped push us to a dub! Read More