High School (Grades 9-12)
Opportunities that Transform
Minnehaha Academy is the #1 Christian high school in Minnesota for a reason.
At MA, students discover opportunities that stretch their thinking, deepen their faith, and prepare them for what’s next.
Guided by expert teachers, students conduct research in our state-of-the-art STEM lab, perform on stage, create in studio spaces, and even design experiments that travel to the International Space Station—earning college credit along the way.
Your child will join a decades-long legacy of excellence in theater, journalism, science, athletics, and world languages—where curiosity meets calling, and learning leads to transformation.
Academic Highlights
From advanced research and rigorous coursework to creative expression and applied problem-solving, Upper School students at Minnehaha Academy engage in intellectually demanding learning across every discipline.
As students grow, they sharpen critical thinking, work with increasing independence, and apply their knowledge in real-world and collegiate-level contexts. Scroll through this gallery to explore examples of exceptional Upper School work—and discover what students learn and why it matters.
Calculating Volume with Calculus
Calculating Volume with Calculus
Students take real-world measurements of an irregular 3D object, use regression analysis to model it with an equation, and apply integral calculus to calculate its volume—then test their accuracy by filling the object with water.
What Students Learn: Students learn how theoretical calculus concepts apply in real life, how to model physical objects using data, and how to account for irregularities in real-world measurements.
Why It Matters: By testing mathematical theory against reality, students gain confidence in their understanding of calculus and see how advanced math can be used to solve complex, real-world problems.
Heart Dissections with a Cardiologist
A cardiac surgeon and heart transplant specialist—who is also the parent of two Minnehaha alumni—guides students through hands-on dissections of deer, elk, and pig hearts, exploring chambers, valves, and cardiac function.
What Students Learn: Students "glove up" and explore heart anatomy and physiology while learning from a top surgeon with heart anatomy and physiology about heart injuries, repair techniques, transplant procedures, and innovations in cardiovascular care.
Why It Matters: Located in Minnesota’s Medical Alley, Minnehaha Academy connects students with professionals in biomedical engineering and health sciences, expanding their understanding of real-world applications of biology and potential careers in medicine.
Ecology in Action: Monarch Migration
Upper School biology students study ecology through the lens of the monarch butterfly, exploring migration physiology, energy flow within ecosystems, and conservation strategies, then tag and release monarchs and submit data to MonarchWatch.org.
What Students Learn: Students learn how biological systems interact at multiple levels while applying scientific observation, data collection, and analysis to a real-world ecological study.
Why It Matters: This experience nurtures scientific curiosity and care for creation, helping students understand their responsibility as faithful stewards of God’s world through hands-on environmental science.
International Space Station Program
In this selective, application-based Applied Research & Engineering course, Upper School students design, build, and complete experiments that are launched to the International Space Station, working with professional engineers, scientists, and programmers at universities and private labs.
What Students Learn: Students learn the full research and engineering process—from defining a problem and designing and testing solutions to debugging complex systems and collaborating with experts—building creativity, critical thinking, communication, and advanced STEM skills.
Why It Matters: As one of only four U.S. high schools in this program, students gain real-world scientific experience that sparks passion, prepares them for future STEM pathways, and deepens their confidence in applying rigorous academic learning to global research opportunities.
Empathy Card Project
As a culmination of their work seniors consider tough questions of faith. One of these questions is, “Why do we suffer?” As a way of expressing their own beliefs about suffering and to express hope or encouragement in the midst of suffering, each student creates an empathy card. Students create original ink artwork—a visual expression of the realities of suffering or the meaning and hope that can be found in seasons of desolation.
What Students Learn: Students practice their art making skills, learn calligraphy, and experience a deeper understanding of empathy for others who are walking through suffering.
Why It Matters: By learning the skills to work through difficult questions, students gain a deeper understanding of themselves and see how these questions can create powerful connections with others. Reproductions of each card are sent to church communities and used for pastoral care visits to bless real people in the midst of real suffering.
Latin: Language Mapping
Students in Honors Latin IV begin the year by creating Latin language maps that compile and organize the grammatical forms they have learned over several years, highlighting how the language’s structures are interconnected.
What Students Learn: Students collaborate to analyze and present different parts of speech, then apply that shared knowledge independently by designing a personalized language map that reflects their own learning style.
Why It Matters: As students transition from translating Latin to reading original texts by authors such as Ovid, Catullus, and Cicero, these maps provide a critical framework that strengthens fluency, comprehension, and confidence in advanced Latin study.
Upper School Choir Revue
Every other year, choir students collaborate to create a fully student-driven revue, with Chamber Singers leading the development of the theme and musical selections for a concert that blends choral, pop, rock, jazz, and musical theater with original poetry, spoken word, and student-created visuals.
What Students Learn: Students learn to lead a large-scale creative project from concept to performance, developing skills in artistic decision-making, collaboration, interdisciplinary storytelling, and production.
Why It Matters: By shaping an original, professionally staged performance around a unifying theme, students experience the power of creative leadership and learn how their voices, ideas, and talents can come together to create meaningful, memorable work.
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What Makes High School at Minnehaha Transformative?
Service Learning
Hands-on, student-led service learning with a real-world impact
See how students are prepared for what's next.
The best way to understand Minnehaha's Upper School experience is to step into the classroom, talk with teachers, and see how students are pushed to think critically, engage deeply, and grow with confidence.
College admissions are more competitive than ever. The ability to take a variety of STEM courses at the AP level combined with sending experiments to the International Space Station was a unique way to show that I was more than just one of the many well-rounded applicants applying to top universities."
Hazen, Harvard student
Exceptional Academics
Minnehaha is ranked as one of the best private schools in the state. The classes you take will propel you forward into new learning. You can earn college credit in AP courses, conduct research in our state-of-the-art STEM labs, take to the stage or pick up a paint brush in our Fine Arts programs, and design a science experiment that will travel to the International Space Station.
Our expert teachers are passionate about their subject areas and their courses are interesting and engaging. They will get to know you as a person and a student, and provide you with opportunities inside and outside the classroom so you can develop your gifts.
- Course Options – Minnehaha students have the opportunity to chose from a variety of core courses, as well as a number of Advanced Placement and honors courses.
- Authentic Learning – In high school, you will engage in coursework that has real-life implications. In our International Space Station Program, students create experiments that are designed to provide data for working scientists. In English, the craft of non-fiction writing and argumentation takes on new importance when students meet with legislators to present concerns detailed in their studies.
- Innovation & Creativity – Academic challenges require creativity and innovation. Whether designing 3-D models for printing, participating in a Shark Tank style classroom challenge, or studying the migration of monarch butterflies, you will be encouraged to take academic risks.
A Strong STEM Foundation
Here at Minnehaha, we know that science teaches the basic principles of our physical and biological world and their influence on – and application to – our everyday lives. The integration of science, engineering, and mathematics with technology (STEM) teaches students independent and innovative ways to solve problems and utilizes the skills that they are learning in other areas of study. These skills are required in order for today’s students to become tomorrow’s global leaders.
“I’ve undergone an immense amount of personal growth with the understanding that the objective of research (and space travel) applies to me as well: curiosity and exploration are essential to finding one’s place in the vast and opportunity-rich world.”
Applied Research & Engineering Student
A World of Opportunity
Students are encouraged to explore a variety of STEM disciplines at Minnehaha.
Science offerings include independent research, physiology, environmental science, and physics, as well as Advanced Placement and Honors science courses. Students participate in problem- and project-based learning as they apply their skills in real world settings. Lab performance, projects and collaborative group work are significant factors in student evaluation in the science courses, which incorporate skills in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
Technology is integrated into the fabric of most every course at Minnehaha and students learn how to use it with integrity and as a tool to enhance learning. Students may take computer science and graphic design courses. These courses teach students to be creators of technology, not just consumers.
Students study Engineering most notably through our unique Applied Research & Engineering course where they are introduced to the process of engineering design and are encouraged to use higher order thinking skills as they engage in authentic scientific research.
Strength in Mathematics is gained in courses that engage students using a variety of instructional strategies including interactive instructor and student presentations, hands-on projects and labs, individual and group work, and video presentations. Advanced Placement courses are available for students to earn college credit.
Fine Arts
The arts are thriving at Minnehaha – and so are our artists. Students have opportunities to excel in choral groups, bands, orchestra, and theatre. Our extensive visual arts program includes drawing and painting, graphic design, photography, film, sculpture, and ceramics.
Minnehaha’s Fine Arts program has long been celebrated for its excellence. Performing groups involve students at every age and experience level. The school calendar is filled with concerts and theatre events throughout the year. More than half of our students take part in these programs. Minnehaha Academy also arranges national and international touring experiences for students.
Being part of Fine Arts at Minnehaha is not just about fostering talent. It’s about experiencing art, enjoying art, and developing an appreciation for art that will last a lifetime. Students gain from the instruction and inspiration of highly trained and skilled faculty. The curriculum is designed to foster self-worth and creative expression as it integrates faith and learning.
Advanced Placement Platinum School
Minnehaha Academy has been recognized by the College Board with Platinum honors on the 2025 AP School Honor Roll—the highest level of distinction!
This recognition reflects our deep commitment to academic excellence and access, including:
- College Culture (Platinum): 100% of our graduating class take at least one AP course
- College Credit (Platinum): 73% earned college credit with an AP score of 3 or higher
- College Optimization (Platinum): 47% took five or more AP courses, with at least one taken early in high school
These outcomes represent the hard work of our students, the dedication of our teachers, and a shared belief in preparing students for college-level thinking and learning. Learn about our Counseling and College Guidance program.
Minnehaha Experience
Whether you’re a high school athlete or an artist, or both, you have a place at Minnehaha Academy. You will find that athletics, arts and clubs are a great way to build friendships and follow your passions. Minnehaha offers a supportive and encouraging environment, so you can try something new anytime. And you don’t have to choose—our students do all three—athletics, arts, and clubs, and have a great time doing it!
Leadership Development
Learning about leadership isn’t enough at Minnehaha Academy. We ensure our students have opportunities to practice leadership in practical situations and groups that will directly translate to the student’s next steps beyond our school. Students in grades 9-12 who desire to study leadership in-depth can enroll in our Leadership Institute. Learn about the Leadership Institute
Clubs and Activities
Every high school student is involved in some sort of after school activity, club, sport, or organization. Most students, in fact, are committed to several. We’re proud to offer an array of options as wide and diverse as much larger schools. Learn about our Extracurriculars and Clubs
Advisory Program
The advisory program provides each student with an adult from whom he or she can seek guidance, support, and help in the areas of academics, spiritual growth, and personal issues. The program also assigns every student to a peer group – averaging 11 people – by grade level. Groups stay together throughout the students’ high school career.
Block Schedule
Minnehaha Academy's high school follows a year long, seven-period modified block schedule. The modified block schedule promotes diverse teaching strategies such as sustained discussion, question and answer sessions, reflections, simulations, rehearsals, laboratory experiments, group projects, and cooperative learning. In addition, while the schedule maintains three class meetings per week, the schedule enables students to focus more on their individual classes each day as they only need to prepare for, at most, four classes per block day.
Distinctly Christian Environment
At Minnehaha you’ll have the freedom and flexibility to be yourself, develop ideas, and grow into your best self. As you explore faith, you can ask tough questions and engage in discussions in and out of the classroom with teachers, coaches, mentors and friends who will be there to support and encourage you. Our weekly chapel services feature guest speakers, student performers and thought-provoking messages. Learn about Faith Formation
Start Here. Go Anywhere!
Minnehaha Academy graduates leave prepared for what comes next. They enroll in a wide range of colleges and universities, pursue meaningful careers, and serve their communities as leaders, thinkers, and people of character.
Start your high school journey at Minnehaha.
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An education that shapes the hands, heads, and hearts of the next generation starts here. Discover how a your child will thrive in our caring community that is rooted in faith.