Morgan Park Academy Alumni

Congratulations and good luck to all of our MPA young alumni who are launching into a new semester at colleges and universities all over the country. You got this!

Pictured is Oriella Ortiz '23 with classmates at Saint Mary's College of Notre Dame this week.

📸 Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, IN

Will you be joining us at this year's Homecoming & Alumni Reunions?

We are so excited to induct some of the best athletes during their high school years at MPA. Join us on Saturday, September 21st, as we induct Laura DeHaan Voney into the Academy's Athletic Walk of Fame! Let's celebrate with her, hang out and reconnect with old friends.

Purchase your tickets here:
https://www.morganparkacademy.org/homecoming

Its a ! This week, we welcomed new families to the New Family Orientation. Its always great to welcome new faces, to showcase the campus and to highlight all that we offer. Do you remember your first time on campus? As a student OR as a parent? What did you feel? What were you most excited about?

We are thrilled to host a 5K/2.5K run/walk this fall for Morgan Park Academy community members and our friends and neighbors — all are welcome!

Visit morganparkacademy.org/5k to learn more about race registration and event sponsorships.

The event — featuring 5K, 2.5K, and fun run options — will take place on Saturday, Sept. 28, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., at the MPA fieldhouse grounds and on a neighborhood loop south of campus.

Proceeds will benefit MPA Athletics and Wounded Warrior Project, a national nonprofit organization for veterans and active duty service members.

Will you be joining us at this year's Homecoming & Alumni Reunions?

We are so excited to induct some of the best athletes during their high school years at MPA. Join us on Saturday, September 21st, as we induct Pat Jones into the Academy's Athletic Walk of Fame! Let's celebrate with her, hang out and reconnect with old friends.

Purchase your tickets here:
https://www.morganparkacademy.org/homecoming

Got your fresh MPA gear for the new school year? Snag some new spirit wear with 30% off the entire site — including Nike, Adidas, and new product lines — and shipping discounts through Sept. 17. Order now at morganparkacademy.org/spirit.

Will you be joining us at this year's Homecoming & Alumni Reunions?

We are so excited to induct some of the best athletes during their high school years at MPA. Join us on Saturday, September 21st, as we induct Reggie Johnson into the Academy's Athletic Walk of Fame! Let's celebrate with him, hang out and reconnect with old friends.

Purchase your tickets here:
https://www.morganparkacademy.org/homecoming

It's ! In honor of retiring Head of School, Mrs. Sheppard's, lets take a look back at her first year at the Academy. Mrs. Sheppard taught the computer applications class when she started her career at MPA. She also still talks about one of her most memorable year when she was the coach of the cheerleading team! Did you have Mrs. Sheppard as a teacher? What were your favorite moments with her in class?

Don't miss the chance to give your well wishes, say farewell and congratulate Mrs. Sheppard on her retirement Saturday, Oct. 19 as we celebrate this extraordinary leader with a VIP Reception. Purchase your tickets at
morganparkacademy.org/vipreception

Will you be joining us at this year's Homecoming & Alumni Reunions?

We are so excited to induct some of the best athletes during their high school years at MPA. Join us on Saturday, September 21st, as we induct Fred Montgomery into the Academy's Athletic Walk of Fame! Let's celebrate with him, hang out and reconnect with old friends.

Purchase your tickets here:
https://www.morganparkacademy.org/homecoming

Coaching Opportunities — Want to get involved with MPA athletics? Select opportunities are available to help coach soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball, track, and tennis. We are seeking both experienced coaches and young alumni who are interested in getting into coaching. Email [email protected] to learn more.

Have you purchased your ticket to this year's Homecoming & Alumni Reunions?

We are so excited to induct the late Martin Wolf into the Morgan Park Academy Hall of Fame! Let's celebrate him and reconnect with old friends.

Purchase your tickets here:
https://www.morganparkacademy.org/homecoming

The MPA Difference: Hands-On Learning
All students learn best when they apply concepts to real life. By combining a multimedia area, a woodworking space, a 3D printing and robotics area, a kitchen, and a multi-purpose science area, the Thrall Family Maker is designed to meet the needs of creative students and faculty.

Schedule a Tour Today: https://mpa.as.me/schedule.php?appointmentType=6484801

Physical education and interscholastic sports are an integral part of the Morgan Park Academy experience, with daily P.E. classes for students through ninth grade and a robust array of competitive, inclusive sports teams that regularly challenge for postseason championships.

Schedule a Tour a Today: https://mpa.as.me/schedule.php?appointmentType=6484801

Have you purchased your ticket to this year's Homecoming & Alumni Reunions?

We are so excited to induct principal, teacher, and alum Kari Misulonas into the Morgan Park Academy Hall of Fame! Let's celebrate with her, hang out, and reconnect with old friends.

Purchase your tickets here:
https://www.morganparkacademy.org/homecoming

It's a ! Summer Camp is still is full effect! Here are some memories from Summer Camp in 2017, when Fridays were free play day!

Great to see a feature story in the Daily Southtown on the MPA rising juniors who were selected for the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Conference (HOBY), one of the nation’s premiere leadership conferences:

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/07/16/morgan-park-academy-students-get-examples-to-lead/

Grant, Justin, Diego, Annabella, and Karen participated in the HOBY Illinois North leadership conference at Loyola University Chicago last month, while Varun also was selected but was unable to attend.

HOBY seminars bring students together across different backgrounds, cultures, and communities, and help students discover a newfound sense of awareness, confidence, connection, and purpose.

MPA students participated in facilitated dialogue and abilities-based workshops to develop awareness of their leadership strengths and an understanding of their leadership values. Through these dynamic activities with their peers, they honed their skills and learned to recognize, amplify, and collaborate with the diverse strengths of others.

“I learned a lot about how to be a leader while also being myself,” Diego said. “At HOBY, I got to test my leadership abilities and make long-term friendships. I also learned a lot about myself and my own leadership style, which I think will help me in bettering my own communities and social groups.”

These 2024 participants are the latest of many students that Morgan Park Academy has had selected for HOBY conferences in recent years.

“We are tremendously proud of these students for being chosen as HOBY ambassadors,” MPA college counselor Em Joseph said. “A core part of our school mission is preparing global leaders to make a positive difference in the world, and participating in a HOBY seminar helps unlock that for students.

“I’ve also found that when a college admission office sees a student participating in HOBY, it's a huge deal in the application review process. This will have a big impact for our students.”

Nice job, Warriors!

Have you purchased your ticket to this year's Homecoming & Alumni Reunions?

We are so excited to induct retired teacher Ann Brown into the Morgan Park Academy Hall of Fame! Let's celebrate with her, hang out, and reconnect with old friends.

Purchase your tickets here:
https://www.morganparkacademy.org/homecoming

Morgan Park Academy teachers Sandra Burgess and Marymargaret Coakley are among this year’s winners of an Innovation Circle Grant Prize from the national non-profit Fund for Teachers, fueling a research trip to the American South that will allow them to develop new elements of the humanities curriculum for our students.

The two traveled in June to Memphis, Tennessee; Jackson, Mississippi; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Montgomery, Alabama to research the growth of the slave trade through civil rights resistance.

They will create a research project to be added to our curriculum in which students map how slavery contributed to the U.S. economy and how those who benefited from slavery opposed the system’s demise and equality for Black Americans.

Ms. Burgess and Mrs. Coakley, who teach English and social studies, respectively, were selected for the $1,000 summer research grant based on their unwavering dedication to creating a transformative learning environment that positively impacts students.

Ms. Burgess, who also oversees our English curriculum for grades 7-12, previously was recognized as a Fund for Teachers Fellow in 2022.

That summer, she traveled widely across eight European countries — Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, and the Netherlands — to gather materials, impressions, and insights pertaining to the Holocaust to inform the creation of a student-led podcast series.

Congratulations to Ms. Burgess and Mrs. Coakley on this tremendous accomplishment! We look forward to seeing them bring this experience to life in their classrooms and our broader community.

It's a THROWBACK THURSDAY! Summer Camp is in Full swing on campus! So many fun, interactive and engaging classes for the campers to choose from this year. Did you attend summer camp at MPA? What was your favorite summer camp class or activity?

Congratulations Patrick Bertoletti ‘03 on winning your first Nathan’s hot dog eating contest!

Bertoletti wins first Mustard Belt sans Chestnut Patrick Bertoletti of Chicago consumed 58 hot dogs to win his first title at the annual Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest.

We were pleased to welcome Drew Petkus ’12 to speak to Upper School students at our celebration of National College Decision Day last month.

After graduating from the University of Michigan, Petkus climbed the ranks in sales and business development at Salesforce before joining Qualified, a B2B startup founded by former Salesforce executives.

“MPA provides us all with an amazing education that extends far beyond the confines of traditional academia,” he told the Class of 2024. “Never forget that as you move on to this next journey.”

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICaaCiEY0g0

READ MORE: https://www.morganparkacademy.org/2024/alumni-speaker-drew-petkus-2024/

We are excited to celebrate our 15th annual class of inductees into the MPA Athletic Walk of Fame at Homecoming & Alumni Reunions on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. Join us!

Chosen by our selection committee to join the best in MPA sports history were:

- Fred Montgomery ’64
- Reggie Johnson ’74
- Pat Jones ’74
- Laura DeHaan ’94
- Claire Browne ’04
- Erin Vaughn ’04
- Samantha Panozzo ’14
- 2013-14 Girls Basketball Team

Visit morganparkacademy.org/homecoming to learn more and register for Alumni Reunions and the Athletic Walk of Fame induction ceremony.

Congratulations to Olga Mourgelas ’20 on earning a Fulbright fellowship in Athens, Greece, for the 2024-25 school year!

Olga is an honors graduate from DePaul University with a BA in Philosophy and French, where she was recognized as the top graduating senior in Philosophy. Her senior honors thesis examines the capacity of aesthetic experiences such as music and art to inspire critical reflection.

As an undergraduate, she volunteered as an ESL tutor with recent immigrants, worked as an academic tutor at an elementary school located on Chicago’s southwest side, and mentored first-year students during their transition to DePaul. Additionally, she re-established the DePaul Hellenic Student Association and served as President for two terms.

Throughout her studies, Olga held several research positions and internships. Notably, she was a Leadership Alliance Mellon Initiative Research Fellow at the University of Virginia where she received first-hand training in media literacy and the digital humanities. She also interned at the French Consulate of Chicago, fostering diplomatic relations at the regional level.

As a Fulbright Fellow, Olga looks forward to supporting cross-cultural connections and mutual understanding rooted in the pedagogical principle of active learning.

Each year Fulbright scholarships are awarded to U.S. citizens from diverse academic fields and areas of specialization.

Congratulations, Olga!

This school year wouldn't have been the same without our amazing international students!

We were so pleased to have Karen, Alessandro, Ben, Jenny, Necati, Pedro, and Lavenia join us from Italy, Brazil, China, Turkey, and Vietnam — continuing the long tradition of international students and student exchanges that has helped make Morgan Park Academy one of Chicago's most diverse school communities.

Thank you for making MPA your home away from home! 📚 💙

"We are proud to have students from around the world,” Head of School Mercedes Z. Sheppard said. “Learning from and with peers from a host of cultures and nationalities is hugely beneficial for all of our students as they prepare to meet the challenges of an increasingly global world.”

“Since my first day here at MPA I immediately felt like a member of a big family,” said Alessandro, a senior from Italy who completed a one-year exchange program.

“I discovered teachers and friends who have always been very kind and caring with me. This has been one of the most important and beautiful chapters in my life, a chapter that I will always carry with me.”

Like many schools throughout the world, Morgan Park Academy divides all students, faculty, and staff into five houses. Named for five giants of MPA history, they are Blake House, Malcolm House, Norton House, Theodore House, and Withington House.

The house system provides a framework for intramural, athletic, charity, fundraising, and community competitions. Students win points for participation in all facets of school life, including academic achievement, co-curricular involvement, good deeds, and volunteer work.

At the end of the year, the house with the most points wins the cup. This year’s winner, returning to the top of the standings, is Malcolm House, named for retired Middle School teacher Thomas Malcolm.

Great job, Malcolm House!

We were pleased to welcome Matt Smith ’91 back to the Academy to deliver the commencement address for the Class of 2024.

Matt Smith '91 // Commencement Address 2024

Thanks to all the parents, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of MPA who helped support student scholarships at our annual golf outing — we had a fantastic time at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club last week!

See more photos: https://morganparkacademy.smugmug.com/Events/Golf-Outing-2024

Commencement photos are in! See the full gallery of photos from the 's big day: https://morganparkacademy.smugmug.com/Upper-School/Upper-School-Commencement-2024