Gloria and Victoria Guerrier are not just twin sisters, they are also the valedictorian and salutatorian of their high school’s graduating class of 2023. The 17-year-old fraternal twins from West Hempstead Secondary School in New York have secured the top two rankings with impressive grade point averages of 105.3 and 104.9 respectively . They have never received a grade lower than 100 on their transcripts, and they have finished in the top 5% of their class.
Their remarkable achievement is the result of years of hard work, dedication, and healthy competition. The sisters have always pushed each other to excel academically, using their grades as a motivation to improve. “Whenever I would get a certain grade, and it wouldn’t look like hers, we would always compete, and it really helped us push each other and improve and always constantly reflect on how we’re doing,” Victoria Guerrier said. Gloria Guerrier added, “It’s like the saying, ‘How iron sharpens iron.’ We really use each other to improve upon ourselves. I think that level of competition between us was what really helped us.”
The Guerrier sisters have not only excelled in academics, but also in extracurricular activities and community service. They are both members of the National Honor Society, the Math Honor Society, the Science Honor Society, and the Spanish Honor Society . They are also involved in various clubs, such as the Key Club, the Student Government Association, the Yearbook Club, and the Chess Club . They have volunteered at local hospitals, libraries, food pantries, and churches . They have also participated in several academic competitions, such as the Science Olympiad, the Math Olympiad, and the National History Day .
The sisters have also shown a passion for learning and exploring different fields of interest. Gloria Guerrier plans to major in biomedical engineering at Cornell University, where she has received a full scholarship . She hopes to pursue a career in medical research and innovation. “I’ve always been interested in how things work, especially in the human body,” she said. Victoria Guerrier plans to major in political science at Harvard University, where she has also received a full scholarship . She hopes to become a lawyer and a politician. “I’ve always been interested in how people interact with each other and how laws affect society,” she said.
The sisters attribute their success to their parents, who immigrated from Haiti and instilled in them the values of education, hard work, and perseverance. “They always told us that education is the key to success and that we should always do our best,” Gloria Guerrier said. “They always supported us and encouraged us to follow our dreams,” Victoria Guerrier said.
The sisters also credit their teachers and mentors at West Hempstead Secondary School for providing them with guidance and opportunities. “They always challenged us and helped us grow as students and as people,” Gloria Guerrier said. “They always gave us feedback and resources to improve our skills and knowledge,” Victoria Guerrier said.
West Hempstead Secondary School Principal Joseph Pumo said he is proud of the sisters’ accomplishments and that they are an inspiration to their peers and their community. “From the very beginning, the first time anybody meets them, you can tell that they are special young ladies and that their ability to create a goal for themselves and create a plan and stick with that plan and their persistence was evident,” he said.
The sisters said they are grateful for their achievements and that they hope to make a positive impact on the world. “We are very happy that we made it this far and that we achieved our dream that we’ve been wanting for so long,” Gloria Guerrier said. “We are very thankful for everyone who helped us along the way and we hope to give back to our community and society,” Victoria Guerrier said.
Also making academic history is La’nisha and Ron’nisha Richardson. They are not only sisters, but also best friends and academic rivals. The twins from Yazoo City, Mississippi have been competing for the top spot in their class since they started high school. Now, they have achieved their goal of becoming valedictorian and salutatorian of their graduating class, both with an identical 4.1 GPA.
The Richardson twins have always been passionate about learning and excelling in their studies. They credit their mother, who is a teacher, for instilling in them the value of education and hard work. “She always pushed us to do our best and never settle for less,” La’nisha said.
The twins also had the support of their teachers and administrators at Yazoo City High School, who recognized their potential and encouraged them to pursue their dreams. “They always challenged us to take the most rigorous courses and to participate in extracurricular activities,” Ron’nisha said. Click here to continue read about the Richardson twins.
