Student Experience Archives

Discovering Confidence On And Off The Court

December 5, 2019

The following essay is adapted from MPA Class of 2020 member Catherine Moore’s Senior Speech.

I have been at MPA since kindergarten and during my time here, I have done and been many different things. In the early years, my aspirations ranged from being a veterinarian—a job that many regular people would think is a good life goal—to astronaut—again, a good job, though harder to get there, but still fairly normal … to finally … a mermaid. Clearly, my interests would wander, changing with whatever creative thought passed through my head. Luckily, MPA gave me a place to explore my less realistic, yet aspirational side. I don’t know about doing right, but I definitely dreamed big.

My afterschool interests varied, too. I tried soccer and swimming, joined basketball and played volleyball. I loved everything about sports … especially the competitiveness. I enjoyed being physical and loved my will to win. I engaged in as many sports as possible. Eventually, however, it was volleyball that caught my attention and gave me an anchor and a steady focus. In many ways, some of the most important lessons I have learned have come from being on a volleyball team, whether that was here at MPA or on a club team. Read More

Finding A Home At MPA

November 15, 2019

The following essay is adapted from MPA Class of 2020 member Elli Carlson’s Senior Speech. Elli joined MPA as a sophomore in August 2017.

I have been looking for “home” for as long as I can remember. Places I can be me, comfortably and unapologetically. Those places have changed as I have grown, and I’m sure my search will last my entire lifetime as I continue to evolve.

From a young age, I thought school would be my first home. I possessed an unrelenting love for learning, so I naturally imagined school as a haven for my curiosity. My mom frequently recounts the story of my first day of kindergarten, when I hopped off the school bus, ran up the driveway, and immediately asked her “When are we going to start the real learning? All we did was play!” Read More

Meet Hana Miller ’21!

October 15, 2019

What do you love about MPA?
At MPA you are not taught what to think, you are taught how. The teachers at MPA recognize the importance of creating people who can think for themselves, not just repeat a string of facts about the Civil War. You are encouraged to ask questions, to challenge ideas, and to think differently. At MPA you are not only accepted for who you are, but you are supported and encouraged to be an individual, not just a grade.

How are you encouraged to dream big and do right at MPA?
MPA inspires students to not only fight for what they believe in, but to actively work to better it. Just this morning, the Kindergarten class came up to the high school to ask us to protest with them because they had learned about how pollution was affecting marine life. Read More

An MPA Student’s Passion To Change The World

October 2, 2019

This past summer, MPA senior Misk Khalif was selected to serve as a 2019-2020 Girl Up Teen Advisor. Girl Up is a national advisory board made of young advocates working to promote gender equity for girls globally. As a campaign of the United Nations Foundation, Girl Up works to provide the tools and platform for girls globally to lead on a number of issues that affect them from education to health.

Misk had the honor of attending the 74th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) high level week, where world leaders met in New York City to discuss the world’s most pressing issues, from climate change to access to healthcare. UNGA brings together a variety of stakeholders from government officials, civil society, and business leaders.

“The most complex global issues requires all facets of society to collaborate and help us realize the sustainable development goals by the year 2030,” Misk said. She had the opportunity to participate in a variety of key discussions, ranging from increasing universal access to education for millions of children globally who remain out of school, to providing better access to healthcare for women and girls who continue to lose their lives from preventable illnesses.

Class of 2019: Mats Dahlberg, Saint Paul

June 17, 2019

As the 2018–19 school year comes to an end, we’re sharing the college choice stories of several members of the Class of 2019!

In what grade did you come to MPA?
I came to MPA in Kindergarten.

How did you come to choose the college that you did?
I chose Columbia College Chicago because it has a strong dance and visual arts program and they would let me be involved in both. I wanted to go to a college in a city surrounded by a vibrant art scene and so many museums and traveling exhibits especially because I’m studying arts. Columbia is right in the middle of the city on Michigan Avenue and has great speakers and events including some notable alumni.

What are you most excited about as you embark on your college experience?
I’m excited to explore my independence, especially in a new city. I am very excited to expand my circle and meet a new very diverse crowd of people with different viewpoints than I’ve been exposed to. I’m excited to have my ideas challenged and add to my skillset with education from new teachers and more high-level art classes. I’d love to take a printmaking class or a textile and fiber works class, something that I haven’t had the opportunity for at MPA, but have the basic artistic foundation for because of the Fine Arts education here. (And I’m excited to try all the pizza Chicago has to offer). Read More

Meet Ryan Ghose ’21

March 19, 2019

What do you love about MPA?
Waking up every morning excited about what I’m doing that day, whether it be a fun activity during class, play rehearsal, or a school dance.

How are you encouraged to dream big and do right at MPA?
I am encouraged to dream big and do right through everything MPA offers. My extracurriculars allow me to explore anything and everything I set my mind to. The volunteer work I have been doing on campaigns and for organizations I believe in continue to inspire me to do right for my peers and my community.

What would you tell a family considering MPA?
If you have a child that loves to learn and wants to explore their environment, MPA allows your child to do that in a supportive and understanding environment. Read More

Meet Evan W. ‘24

February 14, 2019

What do you love about MPA?
How people are very kind and inclusive. Another thing that I really like about MPA is that the class sizes are very small, so the teachers really get to know you and your personality genuinely well. That makes it easy and comfortable to ask them for help.

How are you encouraged to dream big and do right at MPA?
What encourages me is that the teachers are always supportive. If you have an idea and you tell one of your teachers, they would never make you think that your idea is stupid or not good. They would actually encourage you to try it and help you with it.

If you have attended another school, how has your experience at MPA been different?
One of the things that is different is that there are 10 times more teacher help than at other schools. Because MPA has such small class sizes, the teachers will give you lots more help and you will be able to get all your questions answered.

What would you tell a family considering MPA?
I would tell them that the environment at MPA is super welcoming and nice and that there are great people at the school, so you will be able to make friends very easily. Read More

Meet Isaac ’29

January 9, 2019

What do you love about MPA?
My favorite part of MPA is playing with friends, especially in phy. ed. class. Mr. Sheehan is my teacher and he is always nice. He’s just a fun person. I also love math because I use my whole brain and I work together with my friends.

How do you dream big and do right at MPA?
Dream big and do right means being nice to my friends. I make sure to give (my best friend) a hug every morning when I see him, and he gives me a hug.

What would you tell a friend considering MPA?
MPA is a very fun place because you have everything you need. You have friends, you have a really good hot lunch, you have a big playground, you have lots of books in the library. The library is a place I really like because I love books, especially books about football. I also really like Ms. Espeland’s music class and Ms. Mastel’s drama class. I really can’t pick which of those I like best because I like them both so much.

Meet JD Ogden ’20

October 11, 2018

What do you love about MPA?
I love that I get individual feedback from my teachers on assignments.

How are you encouraged to dream big and do right?
When I see classmates working hard and challenging themselves around me, it makes me aspire to be my best self.

If you have attended another school, how has your experience at MPA been different?
I came to MPA in kindergarten, so I don’t recall exactly!

What would you tell a family considering MPA?
It’s a great community and I know everyone so well. For example, on the Deep Portage overnight trip last year, our grade got to know each other even better. There was a moment when we were in groups and I had new students that I didn’t know as well in mine, plus some teachers that our grade was just getting to know, yet everyone was themselves with each other.

In what ways has MPA prepared you for life?
It has taught me so many life lessons around how to be an ethical person. Read More

Meet Elli Carlson ’20

September 10, 2018

What do you love about MPA?

I love that at MPA, I am able to participate in a wide variety of activities. I can play soccer but also be on the debate team. Additionally, the arts department has so many more options than a lot of other schools do. I can take photography, two ceramics classes, and a theatre class all in one year. This allows me to pursue areas outside of just required courses, and for me, these are the areas that interest me most.

If you have attended another school, how has your experience at MPA been different?

MPA is different from my old school in virtually every aspect. The block schedule at MPA gives us longer class periods, allowing for deep discussion and more in depth learning in each class. The longer lunch period gives students to have a break in the day, allowing us to be able to focus during our afternoon classes. The wide variety of arts courses allowed is much more rigorous than my old school’s and allows me to advance my skills in an area that is important to me, as I plan on pursuing a career in the arts after high school. Read More