IN BRIEF
grade teacher Lori Thoraldson says. “It was amazing to watch these children, who are engaged in their learning and motivated to make a difference, impact an entire community and serve beyond it.” COMMUNITY
A DAY IN THE LIFE To better understand their students, a handful of brave teachers and administrators volunteered to become Upper Schoolers for a day. Organized by the student-led Challenge Success Club, Freaky Friday allowed adults to participate in a full day of classes and follow a student’s after-school schedule, including that student’s typical bedtime. Upper School Assistant Director Paul Menge — who attended AP English, calculus, Spanish, ceramics, physics and AP European history before
squeezing in a workout and heading to the Blake-Breck dance — says he slept really well that night. “After going from one class to another it was clear that changing my focus to a different discipline throughout the day is challenging,” Menge says. “My other observation is that in every class I attended the students were engaged. They wanted to learn. They liked their teachers. Not surprising, but it’s really something that makes me proud.” AWARDS
LEARNINGWORKS MENTOR TEACHER WINS MINNESOTA TEACHER OF THE YEAR During the school year, Abdul Wright teaches language arts at Best Academy, a charter school in Minneapolis.
During the summer, he’s a LearningWorks mentor teacher, inspiring future teachers and current students in this partnership between Blake and Minneapolis Public Schools. Education Minnesota named Wright its 2016 Teacher of Year, making him the first African-American male and first charter school teacher to earn the honor. (Photo by Janet Hostetter of Education Minnesota)
Minneapolis since 1980, often sends elementary student artwork for display in our local schools. This year, thanks to the efforts of Middle School art teacher Seexeng Lee, Blake’s Bovey Commons displayed work from Japanese students. In exchange, several of Lee’s students created art to display in Ibaraki City.
ARTS HIGHLIGHT
ART EXCHANGE Japan’s Ibaraki City, which has been a Sister City of
COMMUNITY
CANINE CAMERA
Tula is a prolific photographer, sometimes taking over 6,000 pictures in an hour. Tula is also a dog. She and her human sister, Susie Kixmoeller ‘17, have found themselves in the limelight thanks to their Instagram account, Canine Happy Hour, where Susie posts photos that Tula takes (with a GoPro strapped to her chest) while playing at offleash dog parks. The duo has received widespread media attention from local, national and international outlets. Summer 2016 3