Twin sisters with immigrant parents from Haiti become valedictorian and salutatorian

Twin sisters Gloria and Victoria Guerrier have been named valedictorian and salutatorian of their high school class in New York. Gloria Guerrier is this year’s valedictorian at West Hempstead Secondary School and Victoria Guerrier is the salutatorian, NBC 12 News reported.

The sisters, who are all-state track stars, said they helped each other get to this level. Their mom said right from her womb, they were competitive and they continue to be even though they don’t forget to push each other.

“Subjects like AP physics, I’m always over there, over her shoulder helping her,” Gloria Guerrier said to NBC 12 News. “And maybe in English, she gives me a hand.”

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Besides doing amazingly well in academics and on the field, the twins also have part-time jobs to help take care of their home. In 2016 when they were 11, their father became disabled and it was during this difficult moment that they decided to work outside of school to support the family.

What’s more, with their parents being immigrants from Haiti, Victoria Guerrier said she and her sister had a strong incentive to work really hard to not waste the opportunity that was given to them. At the moment, more than 42.4 million immigrants live in the United States to pursue opportunities and dreams. Many of these immigrants believe in the American Dream and are optimistic about achieving it despite the political climate and threats they face almost every day. Gloria and Victoria Guerrier are currently living that dream.

“Student-athletes who are genuinely kind-hearted people. They’re musicians, they work, they have jobs, they’re able to manage their time,” Principal Joe Pumo said of the twin sisters.

To manage their time, the sisters said they keep themselves in a positive space and just “keep grinding and wanting to do.”

Gloria and Victoria Guerrier will be going to Yale in the fall on scholarships. Their track coach has meanwhile been praising them for their achievements. “It’s rare that you come across not only one student like them, but two students like them,” Zorskas said. “And they just impress me on a daily basis.”