AMERICA | Twin sisters emerges joint best student of US high school, wins full-ride scholarship to Southern Illinois University.
Twin sisters Ariana and Briana Straughter graduated as co-valedictorians of Madison High School in Illinois, earning full-ride scholarships to Southern Illinois University.
The Straughter twins not only achieved the same grade point average but also made history as the district’s first-ever twin co-valedictorians. They spent their four years of high school motivating each other, making the shared achievement a dream come true.
“We have encouraged each other continuously, we have studied together, made sure our projects were good together, and we have always received feedback from our teachers,” Ariana said.
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During their commencement address, the twins delivered a message of hope to their fellow graduates, with Briana urging her classmates to never give up and strive for greatness.
“They were normal, but everybody is normal until given the opportunity to be something different. “They had the opportunity, they just had to recognize it and, luckily, they did recognize it, and hopefully, we were a catalyst and the entire family,” Jerry Straughter, the twin’s grandfather said.
Terrien Fennoy, the principal at Madison Jr. High School, congratulated the twins on their achievement, noting that they truly deserved it. He credited them for their focus and for avoiding distractions.
“They never let the outside noise get in the way of their studies. They were always polite and helped in the classroom, even checking on me. They deserve this honor; they worked hard,” Fennoy said.
Ariana plans to major in nursing, while Briana will focus on arts education at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville.
“It was amazing because of all the support we received. We encouraged each other to keep going and ensured everyone was on the same page,” Ariana said.
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