From MA graduates to MA teachers: alums return

From helping students along their faith journey to discovering God’s kingdom using math, MA graduates reflect on their decision to return to MA as teachers.

“I absolutely loved [MA]. Then, when I became a mom I realized that it was so special in my life and I wanted that for my students and for my primary children,” said Eden Flaa (’09), the core specialist teacher at the lower school.

“There’s so much care and just love for whether it’s the community, whether it’s the parents, teachers, or staff. There’s really an outstanding feeling of love that stands apart from other places that I have worked,” said Flaa.

Even when Flaa was a student, this feeling of love and kindness was present. “It’s a very supportive, loving community here, even when I was a student..I feel like the core of Minnehaha, has really stayed and so it’s fun for me to then be teaching core because…both elements of Minnehaha, were really what held me near and dear to Minnehaha. So it’s fun to experience those now as a teacher working here,” said Flaa.

Lily Bjorlin (’16), the MS math teacher, also had very similar experiences as a MA student and wanted to give back to the community she has been in her whole life.

“I definitely chose to teach at Minnehaha because of the warmth and care that I had gotten from my teachers at MA and I wanted to give back to the community that has given me so much, I wanted to give back and be that person for other students as they were growing up so that they knew someone was there for them and cared about them, that they had another adult in their life that was looking after them,” said Bjorlin.

There are 4 other MA alums that have returned as well, Sarina Baker (’11), Assistant Principal, Elizabeth Cripe (’17), 2nd-grade teacher, Ellie Larson (’16), 5th-grade, and Matthew Humason (’17), MS theater director.

Overall, the MA alums want to return the love that they were given and make MA a better community. “When you come to Minnehaha you really have a community that goes far beyond your years of attending here,” said Flaa.