Student Experience Archives

November 14, 2017

Class of 2025

What do you love about MPA?
School makes me feel happy, joyful and excited! There are days when I think, “Oh no! I’m so sick, but I really want to go to school to see my teachers and my friends.” I just love how we all treat each other.

How are you encouraged to dream big and do right at MPA?
We learn cool words like inclusiveness. We learn how to be kind to other people and that giving is important.

What would you tell a parent considering MPA?
It is like my home because everyone is so nice, kind, and considerate. Sure, you go to your real home and have dinner and go to sleep. But then you wake up and feel excited, like it’s going to be a great day at your other home, at your school!

In what ways has MPA prepared your child for life in the 21st century?
When there is a problem, our teachers sometimes tell us to work it out on our own because we are good enough and smart enough. However, sometimes they help us because we’ve made a mistake and need another solution. MPA teaches us all these special things that get us ready for the world.

Mounds Park Academy, a PreK-12 private school in Saint Paul, is currently accepting applications for the 2018-19 school year. For more information about admission and to schedule your tour, visit moundsparkacademy.org/admission. We look forward to getting to know your family!

Meet Pranay Somayajula ’18

October 25, 2017

What do you love about MPA?
One word—community. I love that MPA is such a tightly knit community and you have the ability to form close and lasting relationships, whether they are with another student, an MPA parent, or a faculty member. MPA is unique in that it not only provides an opportunity to form close bonds, but that it actively encourages their formation.

How are you encouraged to dream big and do right at MPA?
Every day in class, we are pushed to consider not just the information that we are learning, but the implications of those concepts on a broader global scale now and in the future. Whether the class is English, science, math, or history, we are encouraged to apply everything we learn to make a positive difference outside the classroom.

What would you tell a family considering MPA?
I can say with the utmost confidence that I would not be the person I am today, with the achievements and ambitions that I currently have, were it not for the outstanding education and community here at MPA. This school provided me with a support system that has allowed me over the years to find my voice, become more outgoing, and think beyond just myself in a way that makes me feel entirely prepared to go off to college and the real world next year. Read More

Meet Ling DeBellis ’19

October 16, 2017

What do you love about MPA?
From the beginning, MPA focuses on every part of learning—curiosity, creativity, and discovery. In Lower School, it’s letting you grow, giving you a solid foundation of asking questions, and experiencing new things. In Middle School, it’s learning how and why things work. There’s emphasis on independence and self-expression. In Upper School, it’s connecting the dots, learning to find deeper meaning and themes within all subjects. MPA has made me a thinker and a better human.

How are you encouraged to dream big and do right at MPA?
I know it’s okay to be me. I know that I can do what I set my mind to. I’m unstoppable because MPA has taught me to question, to think, and to care in every aspect of my life—academic and social.

If you have attended another school, how has your experience at MPA been different?
MPA is my home. I started in PreK in 2005 (first PreK class).

What would you tell a family considering MPA?
It’s a great place for your kids to grow up—it feels safe. We are a community. And the classes are amazing with even more amazing teachers. Read More