Student Achievement Series: Hutch Fale, Provo High Junior

January 19th, 2024 /
Spencer Tuinei /
News, Provo High, Recognitions and Awards, Schools, Secondary Schools

Every student is capable of great things. As educators, we’ve seen students across all walks of life tackle all sorts of challenges, academic or otherwise. We’ve seen some students face academic disappointment, find grit, and achieve; we’ve also seen some students achieve their dreams from the get-go. Regardless of their expectations—and sometimes despite them—we know every student can do great things.

This month, we’d like to celebrate students across the district. We contacted a few teachers for recommendations on students who achieve, grow, or inspire others, either academically or in their extracurricular endeavors.

Immediately after outreach, we heard back from Provo High School teacher Christian Hernandez. His recommendation: junior and star student-athlete Hutch Fale. To quote his email recommendation:

This year, the student that continually comes to mind is Hutch Fale. He is my student and an athlete in football and track. He is one of my top students across all six history classes.

Hernandez says that Hutch’s work ethic is unparalleled on and off the field. Hernandez attests that he is a team player in the classroom and is quick to participate in any project or discussion. He’s also always found academic success in Hernandez’s class due to his exceptional work ethic. To quote Hernandez:

Hutch currently sits at 112% in my class and is one of about seven students who received 100% on our latest test. It is no surprise to me—if you look at his entire high school educational record, he has received straight A’s. His exceptional work in class and on the football and track fields sets him apart. He embodies what a student and athlete strive to be, and honestly, any individual should strive to be: a well-rounded, vital member of society.

We asked Hernandez if we could sit down with Hutch. He helped set up a quick meeting with Hutch Fale, where we learned more about what makes this exceptional student tick.

For starters, Hutch is smack dab in a family of five kids. He has two older siblings that he attributes as role models. More than that, he attributes many of his best study practices to rules set by his parents.

“My parents made a rule once I started playing sports that school comes first,” he said. “I can’t play if my grade drops, so I stay on top of it. As far as my study habits go, I try to get all of my homework done first things first. It’ll never get done if I tell myself I’ll do it later.”

It’s refreshing to speak with a student who honors his parents—it says a lot about his parents, but it says just as much about Hutch. He’s one to follow the rules to accomplish goals and has proven he’s a goal-oriented team player. Hutch told us he “loves team sports—that feeling of working towards a shared goal and accomplishing it is the most rewarding thing.”

The drive to achieve extends beyond the field into the classroom, just like Hernandez mentioned. Hutch’s favorite subject in school is science and engineering. Why?

“I like knowing I had something to do with a finished product. There’s something great about stepping back from your work and realizing, “Hey, this exists because of me.”

So, what’s next for Hutch Fale? Right now, he’s set his sights on a plan to serve a religious mission before considering college options. Unsurprisingly, he’s looking at careers and college programs related to science and engineering. To quote:

“I want to aim for the aerospace industry. I’ve heard great things about local aviation programs, but we’ll see.”

He closed by mentioning that he loves Provo High because “there’s always something going on. It’s a great environment to grow up in and attend.” Even in an interview about himself, Hutch Fale praises others, acknowledging their role in helping him succeed. Hernandez was right– to conclude with Christian’s last statement from his email:

Not only is he an exemplary student-athlete, but he is also a very respectful and honest young man. He’s well-composed and will be a strong leader next year.