My name is Lilly, and I am a rising tenth grader who has been at Blake since sixth grade. In September of my freshman year, I joined the Upper School newspaper, the Spectrum. As I wrote articles throughout my first semester, I learned all about student journalism and discovered my passion for it. Before long, I became an editor, and with each new experience, my enthusiasm for journalism continued to grow.
The Spectrum has provided me with endless support and countless opportunities to develop my skills and challenge myself. As a result, I competed at the JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention, where I won an award for review writing. I was also inducted into Quill and Scroll, an international honor society that recognizes achievement in high school journalism. These experiences have helped me grow not only as a writer and editor but also as a leader and a member of the Blake community.
What makes the Spectrum so meaningful to me is its impact beyond its staff. As a publication, it serves students, faculty and staff by sharing accurate information, important news and engaging stories from a student perspective. Being part of that mission has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my Blake career.
Because of support from donors like you, I have been able to pursue opportunities that have strengthened my abilities, expanded my confidence and equipped me with skills I will carry with me beyond high school. Your generosity helps make experiences like mine possible for students across Blake.
On behalf of myself, the Spectrum staff and the entire student body, thank you for your 2025-26 Blake Fund gift to Greatest Need.
Sincerely, Lilly Tarakji '29
My name is Madeleine Hou, and I recently graduated with the class of 2026! I had the opportunity to join Blake midway through my seventh grade year in the midst of COVID-19. Having devoted my free time during the pandemic to drawing, I was excited to be put into the visual arts course as my art elective. With few expectations for what my class would be like, I was blown away by how passionate my teachers were about the creative process and how much care had been put into creating our lessons and getting us supplies.
The arts at Blake have always been generous from both the sheer amount of individual materials given and in the freedom and support the teachers give to us as artists. In all of my art courses, whether they be beginnerlevel or advanced, I’ve always known I could use the lessons taught by my teachers to make something entirely my own with their full support in my vision. They allow us space to grow with their direction, and for that I’m forever grateful.
Outside of art classes, we also get the chance to enact our visions. This year, I directed a show in our studentled Bennett Gallery, where we draped fabric and layered photos and trinkets on half of the gallery and left walls with minimal art on the other half to create a maximalist-minimalist dichotomy. We went into the archives to unearth all the fabric stashed away, and then students and faculty supplied us with everything else. With the club advisor’s nominal role, we students got to work on cultivating independence in the arts and learned on our own how to rework problems that arose. The arts are so important to learning how to think outside the box and try something new, which is often a lot scarier to try in other courses. It serves as a way to push our thinking and is a slight reprieve from our rigorous course loads.
The devotion to the arts that is evoked in Blake students would not have been possible without the lovely art department and its funding. Thank you so much for your 2025-26 Blake Fund gift to the arts—it’s well reflected in the never-ending improvement in the quality of our art lessons and Blake’s love for the arts.
Thank you again and best wishes to you!
Sincerely,
Madeleine Hou ’26
My name is Oliver Brown, and I’m a member of Blake’s class of 2027. This season I will return as the captain of Blake’s boys’ varsity soccer team, and I’m hoping to lead us to the state championship for the second year in a row!
Though I consider myself to be an extrovert, coming to a new school brings inevitable worry and stress. My freshman year I hardly knew anybody at Blake, but the ability to meet and train with my new teammates and classmates greatly eased any uncertainty I had. The athletic directors and coaches, as well as the players, welcomed me into a supportive community from day one. They helped create an environment where I felt comfortable, challenged and motivated to grow. Because of that, Blake quickly felt like home, and athletics became one of the most meaningful parts of my experience.
This year our boys’ varsity soccer team won the state championship for the first time in eight years. The stands in US Bank stadium were filled with Bears fans, and seeing this support for our team was incredibly motivating and heartwarming. My core drive to bring home the championship for Blake rested in my recognition of our squad’s chemistry and love for one another. In previous years, the soccer team had been close, but this year was a different level. I didn’t care about the hardware or the trophies that came with winning. Instead, my drive to win came from the fact that nobody deserved the championship more than this group of guys. I am so proud of the work our team put in to ensure our success, and I know we can do it again this coming year.
I’ve had the opportunity to compete alongside teammates who constantly push me to improve, not only as an athlete but also as a student and person. In my experience, Blake athletics have consistently fostered friendships and confidence, as well as lessons I’ll carry with me long after high school.
Thank you for your 2025-26 Blake Fund gift to athletics. Your generosity makes a real difference in the lives of students like me and allows us to have experiences that will stay with us for years to come. Thank you for investing in Blake students and for helping make our athletic programs such an important part of our school community.
Sincerely,
Oliver Brown ’27
When I think about graduating from Blake, it feels strange to leave a place that has been such a big part of my life for so long. I started in second grade, back when the campus felt huge and the older students seemed impossibly grown up. I didn’t know exactly who I would become or where I would fit. Now, as I get ready for college, I can see how much Blake has helped me grow through every transition.
There was the move from Lower to Middle School, with a new campus, new routines and new friends. Then came Upper School, with harder classes, more independence and more pressure to figure out what came next. Each time, I was nervous at first. And each time, Blake gave me people who helped make it feel possible.
I had teachers who noticed when I needed encouragement, pushed me when they knew I could do more and helped me believe I was capable of hard things. I made friendships filled with memories of laughing between classes, working through difficult assignments and being part of a team. I learned how to advocate for myself, persevere through challenges and that I had people here who truly wanted me to succeed.
As I prepare for the next transition, from Blake to college, I feel ready in a way I do not think I would have without this school. I know there will be another new campus, new friends and new challenges. But because of Blake, I’m confident I will find my place again.
Thank you for helping make this experience possible with your 2025-26 Blake Fund gift to student financial assistance. You didn’t just contribute to my education; you gave a student who needed somewhere steady to land teachers, friends and reasons to keep showing up. I hope that someday I can do the same for someone else.
Thank you for all of it.
With gratitude,
Graduating Senior Class of 2026
As a science faculty member at Blake, I know how important it is for classroom lessons to be regularly assessed and adapted so students stay engaged while being exposed to the most current and accurate information. Professional development opportunities support educators as they guide students through well-rounded classroom experiences.
This is true for my own experience. Most recently, I’ve utilized professional development funds to begin building a new professional development course that looks at food from a social and cultural perspective. These funds have been used to purchase cookbooks representing regions and cultures around the world. The literature I’ve acquired will influence new lessons that address how food has impacted people and places throughout history, look at causes of food issues and insecurities and identify common threads connecting cultures and time periods. The workshop is ultimately intended to inspire teachers to use food as a lens to connect to students and connect the content to broader cultural perspectives.
Your 2025-26 Blake Fund gift to faculty professional development has gone beyond my own benefit, impacting a number of other Blake employees. Each year, Blake holds an Intercultural Competence Professional Development Day for faculty and staff. This year, I led a workshop called Cookbooks and Cultures, using food as a common ground for connection. Recipes were a lens to explore the cultures of each attendee while making connections to their own identities. Through planned activities involving food, we were able to build bridges between our varying experiences.
Blake has the unique opportunity for educators to dive into an area of research and create something that is not only informational for students but meaningful to our own professional interests. My exploration is directly supported by your generosity. Thank you for your Blake Fund gift ensuring educators, like me, can continue our learning journey and share these exciting concepts with our students.
And if you’re ever looking for a good recipe for ___(fill in the blank)___ drop me a message!
Sincerely,
Will Bohrnsen
Blake Upper School science faculty
My name is Jame See Yang (Jame See is together) and I am the academic services director at Breakthrough Minneapolis at Blake (BMB). I was first introduced to BMB when it was called LearningWorks in 2018. I was a teaching fellow for the math department that summer and was invited to come back the following summer. After graduating college, I served as interim student services director. I spent a few years teaching before returning to BMB in 2024 to take my current role.
I always knew I wanted to go into education. So much of my teaching persona and style came from the BMB training. During my first summer, I was welcomed with high fives and support from the returning faculty and staff it showed me their connection to the program went above and beyond. When I was invited to come back for another summer, I took the opportunity to give back to the BMB community. The connections I made with the faculty and students went beyond just a summer program. There are faculty members from my cohort who I still keep in contact with.
Last October, we had a reception to highlight and celebrate BMB’s 25th anniversary. Given my history with the program, it was amazing getting to see peers, colleagues and former students at this event. A current student gave a speech in which she shared her BMB experience and the impact it has had on her life. I had the opportunity to connect with folks I haven’t seen in a long time and see my former students who were now in college. It made me realize the impact BMB had on these students when they named it as one of the programs that helped them better understand their college pathways.
Today, we need programs like BMB more than ever. Students and families still need guidance and support to navigate the education system. BMB is more than just a summer program or a teaching fellowship. It is a place where connections are built and relationships are fostered. Thank you for your 2025-26 Blake Fund gift to Breakthrough Minneapolis at Blake. Your kindness is what helps BMB thrive and serve our community.
All the best,
Jame See Yang
BMB Academic Services Director