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Twin sisters from Illinois, United States capped off their high school journey by graduating as co-valedictorians.
Tia and Tyra Smith, who studied at Lindblom Math and Science Academy in West Englewood, Chicago, graduated with flawless 4.0 GPAs and with 12 Advanced Placement classes each to boot, as per Chicago Sun-Times on June 4.
The sisters, who graduated last June 8, have been stuck to each other’s hips since they were born, but will be heading to different universities this year.
“Sometimes we might have the same class but in different periods, and the teacher will say, ‘Your sister just asked the same question earlier today,’” Tia said in the report. “We think similarly a lot of the time. But we’re strong students individually.”
Tia will be heading to Duke University to study statistics, while Tyra will be heading to Northwestern University for economics. The twins both received full-ride scholarships and also plan to major in theater.
The two have loved the art form since seeing a school production of “Grease” during their 7th grade, as per the report. They then went on to be a part of the Steppenwolf Theatre’s Young Adult Council and the Goodman Theater’s Bandle Young Critics programs, all while getting straight As.
“I was like, ‘No, I’m not approving this. That’s not a stress level I’m comfortable with,’” their guidance counselor April Weathers said. “What did they get? Straight A’s.”
As the sisters prepare to go their separate ways for the first time, they acknowledge that what lies ahead remains uncertain. Nevertheless, they believe they made the best decisions for themselves.
“I feel like we’re going to be fine,” Tyra was quoted as saying. “We don’t know what it’s going to feel like yet.” Cody Cepeda/JB
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