×
×
homepage logo

USC names its Triple A Award winners

Mutschler and Passer are in many activities

By Kevin Mertens - Staff Writer | Jan 26, 2025

Madison Passer, left, and Nathan Mutschler are the two Triple A Award winners at United South Central this year.

United South Central High School recently announced Madison Passer and Nathan Mutschler as the Triple A recipients for the 2024-2025 school year.

The Triple A award is given to a senior girl and a senior boy who excel in arts, academics and athletics.

To be eligible to receive this award, a student must maintain a grade point average of 3.0, or higher. They must also be active in Minnesota State High School League sponsored fine arts and athletic activities.

“We had some excellent candidates to choose from this year,” USC activities director Joe Kuechenmeister says. “It was not an easy decision and Madison and Nathan are very deserving of the honor.”

Madison Passer

Passer, who lives on a rural Wells farm, describes herself as kind of quiet. But, that hasn’t stopped her from taking charge of her educational goals.

“I have already completed six college classes,” Passer says. “That will help reduce some of my tuition cost when I attend college.”

Passer definitely puts the time into her studies as shown by her 4.0 GPA.

“History is my favorite subject and the history teacher, Mr. Neel, is probably my favorite teacher,” Passer comments.

While history may be her favorite high school subject, Passer plans on focusing on a different career path when she begins college at Minnesota State University – Mankato this coming fall.

“I want to study communication disorders,” Passer shares. “That would allow me to get a job as a speech pathologist once I graduate.”

When it comes to sports, Passer has already completed her senior year on the volleyball court where she was an outside hitter and is looking forward to getting on the track for her final year of high school competition.

“I do three different events,” she notes. “I high jump and triple jump and I am also a hurdler.”

Looking back on her high school sports career, Passer says there is one moment that stands out as her favorite.

“Beating New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva in volleyball this past season was great,” she says with a big smile on her face. “They are a perennially tough team to beat, so getting a win over them was very special.”

When it comes to the arts, Passer can be seen playing the trumpet in the USC band.

“I have been very fortunate to play for two very good directors,” she comments. “Mr. Hagen was super and I was very sad when he left. But, our new director, Mr. Haug, is full of energy and it is fun being in band.”

Passer also stays busy as a member of the National Honor Society (NHS), FFA and the Big Rebel/Little Rebel mentoring group.

“One of the things I do through NHS is deliver back-pack food bags to students in grades K-6,” she says.

When she does get time to relax, Passer shares she enjoys watching sports with her family, which include her parents Robert and Jodi along with her younger brother Ethan.

“I will also watch sports with my friends,” Passer adds. “I follow the Minnesota sports teams and enjoy cheering on the USC teams.”

The days can get long for Passer, especially during the sports seasons.

“I will have sports practice after school and then an evening of homework,” she comments. “Plus, I am a bit of a perfectionist, so I will take the extra time to make sure things are just right.”

She is excited to be graduating this spring. However, she also knows she is going to miss all of the friends she has made through sports and other activities and knows it will be hard to leave them.

At the same time, she acknowledges she is very thankful for the support of her parents and teachers.

“They are the ones who keep pushing you to be the best you can be,” she concludes.

Nathan Mutschler

Like his fellow USC Triple A winner, Mutschler also resides on a farm.

“My dad farms and sells seed and fertilizer and my mom is an occupational therapist who works in the special education department in the Maple River school system,” Mutschler comments.

In fact, USC’s two Triple A winners have a few things in common.

“I also play the trumpet in USC’s band,” Mutschler offers. “And history is also my favorite subject.”

He does, however, have a different favorite teacher.

“That would be Miss Meyer,” Mutschler comments. “She taught my biology and advanced biology classes.”

In sports, Mutschler was a tight end on offense and a defensive end for the Rebels this past season.

“We made it to the Section Championship,” he shares. “But we lost in a close game to Lester Prairie.”

Playing football wasn’t the only sport occupying Mutschler’s time this past fall.

“I am also on the clay target team,” he says. “We finished third in the conference this fall.”

Mutschler expresses his enthusiasm for the spring season of target shooting.

“We won the State Title a couple of years ago,” he comments. “It would be fun to make it back to the State Tournament and see how we can do.”

Mutschler is also a member of NHS.

“I am also a mentor to a first grader,” he notes. “Two days a week I have lunch with him.”

Mutschler can also be found assisting with the Red Cross blood drive and the VFW breakfasts.

Once he graduates from USC, he plans on attending South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota.

“I plan on majoring in construction management,” Mutschler says. “I might like to own my own business one day. I will have to see what happens. Returning to the farm is always a possibility to consider.”

Three days a week Mutschler is in the weight room before school getting a good workout.

“After school I go and work for a construction company for a couple of hours,” he notes. “I am usually done by 5:30 p.m.”

Mutschler admits that although he is anxious to graduate and move on to the next phase of his life, he will miss USC and the relationships he has been able to develop.

“I will miss the community spirit,” he says. “And it is not only my classmates who I will miss, it is also the younger kids I have gotten to know the last few years. USC has been a great place to go to school.”