Two years ago, all six of the valedictorians were blonde women, last year it was a mix of young men and women. Now the tables have turned and five young men are the 2008 Albert Lea High School Valedictorians.

“It’s an honor,” said Jacob Winkels. “It’s what I’ve been working for. I finally made it.”

Tyler Petersen said it’s exciting to be valedictorian. He’s always kept an eye on his grades, he said, “it just so happened they all turned out to be A’s.”

All five students worked hard at their grades and academic accomplishments, and those achievements got them into good colleges. Three are considering law for a career, one would like to become a dentist or orthodontist and one wants to do something with math.

Two of the valedictorians are going to the Dakotas for school and three are attending colleges in the Twin Cities. Josh Klapperick and William Sturtz are even planning on rooming together at the University of Minnesota.

Klapperick said it’s nice to finally get some recognition for their academic achievements.

“It’s kind of like an honor in itself,” said Logan Ferrie. “People kind of look up to you.”

In between homework and class, all the young men juggled multiple extracurricular activities.

Petersen is student council president, National Honor Society vice president, was on the varsity swim team for six years, worked on the Alahasa student newspaper, served on the speech team and was in the physics club.

Petersen is very musical, as he served on the marching band for five years playing saxophone and was the drum major last year. He was also involved in jazz band, show choir, chorale, the spring play, the one-act play, the fall musical and Tigers Roar.

And those lists were just through school. Outside of school, Petersen was in the Albert Lea Community Band and sang in the Austin Symphony Orchestra Chorale.

Petersen will attend the University of St. Thomas in the fall and plans to work on a double major in political science and music education. Eventually, he said, he’d like to go to law school to become an attorney for “something exciting.”

Klapperick is also a musical student. In school he was involved in band, choir, orchestra, jazz band, show choir, chorale, the caroliers, the fall musical and Tigers Roar. He was accustomed to being on stage as he acted in the one-act play, which made its way to state this year.

At ALHS, Klapperick ran for the cross country team, participated in mock trial and was on the National Honor Society.

Outside of school, he said he worked hard on his math skills as he took two years of calculus through the University of Minnesota.

Klapperick will continue his education through the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities studying bio-medical engineering and planning — but maybe law or psychology, he said. After his undergraduate degree, he said he would like to go to law school or work for a bio-engineering firm.

Ferrie enjoyed sports when he was at Albert Lea High School. He was the captain of the football and track teams, played hockey in the past and was in the weight-lifting program. Like the other valedictorians, Ferrie was in the National Honor Society.

Outside of school, Ferrie volunteered with the Albert Lea Family Y flag football team, tutored Sibley Elementary School students and taught religious education at St. Theodore Catholic School.

In the fall, Ferrie will attend Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D. to study biology and business. He said he is interested in becoming a dentist, orthodontist or work in finances.

Sturtz is another musician. He was in chorale, the caroliers, jazz band playing the trumpet, show choir and the fall musical. He shared the stage with Klapperick in the one-act, swam on the swim team and is a member of the National Honor Society.

After high school, Sturtz will go on to the U of M in Minneapolis, live with Klapperick, and study bio-medical engineering, pre-law or political science. Practicing law runs in his family, he said, so he may end up a lawyer, too.

At ALHS, Winkels was the captain of the soccer team, played basketball, was involved in Business Professionals of America where he took second at nationals this year, Youth in Government, National Honor Society, the prom committee and co-edited the Alahasa newspaper.

As a bassist, Winkels played in the orchestra, jazz band, the fall play pit orchestra and played bass guitar with the Shady Ladies for Tigers Roar. He also played with the community orchestra at First Lutheran Church.

With the math team, he took first in the state in ninth-grade. Most recently, Winkels was inducted into the Wall of Inspiration for 2008.

Outside of school, he volunteered with the Lutheran World Relief Van, taught Sunday school and works at Hy-Vee.

For his undergraduate degree, Winkels is off to the University of North Dakota-Grand Forks to study math. As a career, he said he wants to do something important involving math — either a college professor or in the industrial sciences.

Even though they worked hard to achieve the title of valedictorian, all five said they didn’t over stress themselves, and advise fellow high school students to do the same.

Ferrie said school shouldn’t be taken too seriously — although education is very important — but students should be able to take it easy and have a good time.

“Everything is fun, you just have to find the fun in things,” Sturtz said. “It’s all how you look at it.”

Klapperick said students shouldn’t push themselves so hard at school that they aren’t enjoying life.

“You’ve got to live in the now,” he said.

“I’ve always tried to focus on the big things,” Petersen said. “Think about what’s important in the class.”

Don’t get behind in your work, he added, and don’t argue with the teachers. Sturtz said getting to know the teachers can be beneficial to your education, plus they can be cool people.

But above all, Winkels said “make sure you graduate.”

Some of the young men’s favorite memories were when they were able to relax and enjoy their friends and activities. Petersen said he will always remember the trip to Boston with the choir and conducting the band at its last concert. Klapperick said he can’t forget the time he was a cheerleader with the senior men at the homecoming game.

Ferrie said he will always remember winning the homecoming game against Winona and beating Austin twice in a row.

Petersen, Klapperick and Sturtz all said they won’t forget competing at the state one-act competition.

Through their four years at ALHS, all came away with different memories, but all will remember their high school education.