MONTICELLO — Monticello High School senior Paul Fasen has accomplished something that only one city student has done before, earning the esteemed Triple ‘A’ Award from the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL).
Each year, just four high school seniors from across the state are honored with this recognition for their achievements in academics, arts/activities and athletics.
“It’s an immense undertaking and we couldn’t be prouder,” school board chairwoman Kathy Ziebarth said.
Fasen was honored by the school board during its last meeting, with Monticello School District Athletic Director Gary Revenig explaining the criteria, which includes maintaining at least a 3.0 grade-point average and participating in league-sponsored athletics, arts and activities.
“To get nominated for this award, what does that mean, what do you have to have? Well, you have to have a high GPA. Paul has that, a 4.0 GPA at Monticello High School,” he said.
“You have to participate in the fine arts. Just to name a few, off the top of my head, because he’s in almost everything we offer, he was the lead character in ‘Beauty and Beast,’ in our musical.”
Fasen played the Beast in that show, and has participated in the school’s theater program since his freshman year, when he took part in “Newsies.”
Just last week, he put his acting skills to use in the school’s mock car crash, playing a very out-of-character part as a hard-partying bad boy.
Fasen is also musical, playing alto-saxophone in the band and singing solos with the choir; in addition to serving as a student leader and a sports star.
“He’s in band and he’s in choir and he’s our student council president, so he’s extremely busy,” Revenig said. “And you have to be in activities. He is a state participant in swimming, he is a state participant in track and a state champion in track, and he’s a state participant in cross country.”
Those are just a few of the myriad activities that Fasen participates in.
At school, the 18-year-old is also a member of the National Honor Society, the Math Team, the Chess Club and the Dungeons and Dragons Club. He was elected to Homecoming Court, in addition to taking part in the Interact and Unified programs.
Outside of MHS, he’s also an Eagle Scout who has long been active in scouting, and serves on several church/faith groups, including teaching religion, at St. Henry Catholic Church.
“He obviously does a remarkable job with all the activities and sports,” said Superintendent Eric Olson. “Just all the things that he does across the community is truly phenomenal.”
Fasen was not able to attend the MSHSL banquet at the end of March, when winners were announced, since he was out of town, performing with the choir. Instead, he found out he had beaten out the other finalists through a cryptic text message.
“I was in Chicago with the choir,” he recalled. “And my brother texted me saying ‘Congrats!’ That’s all he said. I looked it up on my phone. I was in the middle of a restaurant and I yelled out ‘Yes!’ I stood up, shouting a little bit and then I sat back down, very embarrassed.”
Perhaps more fittingly, Fasen received the award belatedly, right here in his hometown, by the very people who had nominated him.
Revenig and Olson presented Fasen with the Triple ‘A’ Award, along with an accompanying medal and a $1,000 scholarship — the first of four he will receive for each year of college — during the April 15 school board meeting.
Each couldn’t say enough good things about the highly accomplished young man in their midst.
“He has excelled in all three of his sports and he has abided by all of the high school league criteria,” Revenig said. “He’s been a model student at Monticello High School.”
Each year, one male and one female from the senior class are nominated to represent the Magic in the Triple ‘A’ Awards, with 128 high schools taking part.
Fasen represented the boys, while Ashley Lewis was nominated as the female student.
Both were recognized at a regional awards banquet in late February, when Fasen was named the boys’ finalist for Region 8AA. He was one of 32 finalists.
In March, those finalists were whittled down to the four winners — two boys and two girls.
According to the MSHSL, award recipients are selected through a multi-level process involving the league’s administrative regions and a committee of educational, athletic and arts/activities leaders.
The only other time a Monticello student has won the Triple 'A' was back in 1997, when Amanda Jepson became the district's first victor. The awards started in 1988, according to the MSHSL.
Asked how it feels to have all of his hard work and involvement be recognized on scale like this, Fasen was characteristically humble.
“I’m pretty happy about it,” he said. “It’s exciting.”
The Triple ‘A’ Award is just one of the many feathers in his cap of high school accomplishments, which also includes winning the ExCEL Award last year, in the 11th grade.
Short for Excellence in Community, Education and Leadership, that unique recognition is designed exclusively for Minnesota high school juniors who are active in school activities, leaders in their schools, and who demonstrate a strong commitment to community service.
That seems to perfectly sum up Fasen, who, in addition to being highly involved, is lauded for his leadership skills, setting a strong example for younger peers to follow.
That includes sports, with Fasen serving as captain of the swim team for the past two years and captain of the cross country team this past year.
As for community service, such as his work with Interact, the high school version of the Rotary Club, Fasen says it stems from simply liking people and wanting to do good.
“There’s something in me that says everyone deserves at least to be listened to,” he said.
Everyone deserves their rights. There’s a call to be kind and be good and be respectful.”
Superintendent Olson believes the teen serves as a wonderful example to future generations because of how he carries himself as a person.
The second-youngest of six children, Fasen credits his family, specifically his parents, with instilling strong values in him from a young age, and with helping him to achieve his current success.
“I’m eternally grateful for my family,” he said. “They are so amazing. They support me in everything. They keep me on track. I wouldn’t be anywhere without them.”
He also credits the Monticello community, including his fellow students, along with the teachers, coaches and other school faculty here, for showing unending support.
“Literally, it’s like my entire community is pushing me and rooting me on,” he said. “I’ve just always felt so supported by everyone.”
Asked if he’s worried about losing his hometown support system when he goes off to college next year, Fasen said no.
“At college, I’m going to lose this unique support system, but I’m going to make a new one,” he said. “It’s just the next stage in life and I’m ready for it.”
Fasen will be studying mechanical engineering at South Dakota State University, and hopes to continue swimming competitively there, while also staying active in the Catholic community.
His dream is to someday work for NASA, designing rockets or working on one of their ever-changing space and innovation projects.
Fasen will be entering his secondary education with plenty of college credit already earned, having taken around a dozen college-level AP and CIS courses at MHS.
He’s currently a top-ranked student in the senior class, with a perfect 4.0 GPA, and, as such, will be one of the valedictorians at commencement.
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