Top students switch places at the eleventh hour

Jonas Fechner’s academic success wasn’t driven by a quest to be the valedictorian of the Port Washington High School Class of 2025, but he was keenly aware of where he stood compared to his classmates and what it would take to be No. 1.

Zachary Falkenberg, on the other hand, had dreamed of being No. 1 in his class since his freshman year, and that’s exactly where he was until it mattered most.

“I was at the top of my class until just days before graduation,” Falkenberg said. “They tell you during graduation practice on the Friday before graduation. I was a little heartbroken, but not too much. There’s not much difference between salutatorian and valedictorian, but I was so close. Whatever.”

In the end, Fechner earned a cumulative grade-point average of 4.377 to claim the title of valedictorian, edging Falkenberg, who finished his high school career with a grade-point average of 4.351 and the title of salutatorian.

Falkenberg has seen this happen before — to his brother.

Benjamin Falkenberg, now a student at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, was No. 1 in the Port Washington High School Class of 2023 throughout his high school career until his last semester, when he was overtaken by Gino Feciskonin.

“I wanted to follow in my brother’s footsteps and I wanted to beat him, but in the end we both suffered the same fate,” Zachary Falkenberg said.

Fechner said he poured it on his junior and senior years by taking as many Advanced Placement classes as he could fit in his schedule, in part to stay within striking distance of Falkenberg, but also because he learned early on in high school that it was easier for him to do well in courses that challenged and interested him.

“My junior and senior years I piled on the AP classes because the gap between me and Zach was pretty big,” he said. “But it wasn’t all about that. I took AP classes because they interested me. The valedictorian thing just kind of came along with it, although I was definitely excited about it. I put in a lot of hard work over the last four years.”

Falkenberg had a fairly grueling junior year with five AP classes packed into his schedule and wanted to make sure he had time his senior year to enjoy other aspects of school, like band.

“I took it a little easier my senior year,” he said.

Junior year was also the most challenging for Fechner.

“With the ACT and SAT in addition to classes my junior year, it was a big grind,” he said. “After that, senior year seemed pretty easy.”

Both Falkenberg and Fechner said they prefer math and science classes.

“One hundred percent I’m a math and science guy,” Falkenberg said, adding that AP biology and AP calculus BC, the most advanced math classes offered at Port High, were his favorite courses.

Fechner said physics was his favorite.

“I’ve always had a knack for math and physics,” he said. “These classes come pretty easy to me. English and social studies were more difficult. I had to work harder in those courses.”

Both Falkenberg and Fechner finished their high school careers with nine AP courses under their belts. Fechner ran out of math classes to take at Port High and added a calculus 3 class at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

“That course was really challenging, but I ended up enjoying it because I found it applied to things like physics,” Fechner said.

Falkenberg said there were several teachers at Port High — Band Director Chris Clouthier, science teacher Rebecca Fredrickson and math teacher Emily O’Brien — who made a difference in his academic career.

“They allowed me to do things on my own and at my pace,” he said.

For Fechner, it was business teacher and DECA Club adviser Mark Bichler who inspired him.

“Mr. Bichler was honestly the most influential teacher I had at Port High,” he said. “I’m definitely going to miss him.”

Fechner and Falkenberg obviously prioritized academics, but both of them also made time for extracurricular activities, which they said helped them balance their lives.

Fechner was a standout on the golf team and DECA Club, and in fact missed a shot at being named the North Shore Conference golfer of the year because he skipped a meet to attend a top DECA competition.

“I didn’t mind sacrificing that for DECA,” he said.

“I put a lot of effort into golf and during the season it was definitely a lot — three hours of practice, then homework. But for me, golf was a fun break from the grind of school.”

Falkenberg was a member of the swim and football teams and chess club.

“It was pretty easy to balance all that,” he said. “Homework took me about an hour at night and often I did most of it in class.”

If you think that must mean Falkenberg is a highly organized person, think again.

“I’m not organized at all,” he said. “My backpack is a mess, absolutely atrocious.”

Among their secrets to academic success, Fechner, the son of Robert and Marianne Fechner, and Falkenberg, the son of Alex and Stacey Falkenberg, share a love of learning, but it doesn’t hurt that smarts apparently run in both their families.

While Falkenberg’s brother was also the salutatorian of his class, Fechner’s sister Lilly is going into her sophomore year at Port High with a 4.0 grade-point average, he said. 

Both Fechner and Falkenberg have chosen to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

“I had to make a choice between UCLA and Wisconsin, and I’m very excited about going to Madison,” Fechner said.

He plans to study electrical engineering, a decision he made only recently, and has not decided on a career path.

“I’ve never been a guy who has everything planned out,” Fechner said.

Falkenberg plans to combine two of his loves by studying animal science with the goal of becoming a veterinarian.

“I am very much an animal lover,” he said.

Falkenberg and Fechner said they enjoyed their time at Port High and are ready to start the next chapters of their academic careers.

“It was very fun, but I’m ready to move on with more advanced classes,” Falkenberg said. “After my junior year, senior year felt a little like it was something extra I didn’t need.”

Fechner said, “I had a wonderful time at Port High and I’m going to miss it and the friends I’ve made here, but I’m very excited for what comes next.”

Fechner said the key to success in high school is as simple as taking classes you like.

“Take a wide variety of classes your freshman year so you can narrow down what you like,” he said. “You’ll be more engaged in the classes you like and you’ll be more successful.”

Falkenberg said it’s important to remember that teachers are great resources.

“Ask your teachers for help,” he said. “It’s so important to just ask for help. They are so nice and they want to help.”