Twins are valedictorian, salutatorian. Russell County sisters, mom share their story
After identical twins Kelli and Emily Angel were born two months premature, their parents, Shannan and Fernando, heard medical experts say their daughters could have a slight developmental disadvantage.
“However, this was never the case,” Shannan told the Ledger-Enquirer in an email. “Even at a younger age, the girls both always excelled at everything they did.”
And they became the Class of 2022 valedictorian (Kelli) and salutatorian (Emily) at Russell County High School. So those speeches at the RCHS graduation last week in the Columbus Civic Center were a family affair.
Shannan acknowledged the twins had “an increased amount of stress” as they stayed up late “just about every night to make sure their work was detailed, accurate and complete.”
But she and Fernando are “very proud of Kelli and Emily for all the time, effort, and hard work they put into their school assignments throughout the years,” she said. “They have proven that if you set goals and stick to them, anything is possible.”
Achieving this honor as twins, Kelli told the L-E in an email, “is really cool because we helped each other out and motivated each other to do really well in school.”
Emily returned the compliment.
“I am extremely proud of my twin sister, Kelli, for her accomplishment as valedictorian,” she told the L-E in an email. “I know I worked very hard to be the salutatorian, but I wouldn’t have made it this far without her and her support.”
The RCHS valedictorian has the highest grade-point average in the senior class, and the salutatorian has the second-highest GPA. They also must not have any cheating or severe disciplinary violations.
Both finished with a 4.46 GPA, but the honors were determined by their numerical average: Kelli 106.472, Emily 105.902.
Their speeches
As the salutatorian, Emily spoke before Kelli.
“I was terrified during the graduation ceremony,” Emily said. “The anticipation made me nervous all day, and I was afraid that I would mess up while I was giving my speech. I felt much better after I spoke, though, and I was able to enjoy the rest of the graduation.”
Kelli also was nervous about giving her speech.
“When we walked to our seats and saw all the families and friends present, it was overwhelming,” she said. “… But once I started speaking, it got easier.”
During their speeches, they thanked the teachers, school staff, families and friends for supporting and guiding the senior class members toward graduation. The twins also congratulated their fellow graduates for persevering through the coronavirus pandemic. Emily suggested it’s an example of how they can handle disruptive changes through the rest of their lives.
“All changes are important because they help us one way or another,” Emily said. “Bad things that happen may seem pointless in the moment, but ultimately they help create who we are as people. It is up to us to decide whether or not we will use these experiences and learn from them or allow them to consume us.”
Kelli continued the theme with the advice she gave during her speech.
“Sometimes plans or goals change, and that’s okay,” she said. “That means that you have another path ahead that is greater for you. Aim for things that will make you a better person, set those objectives and put everything you can into fulfilling your goals, and I know you can accomplish them.”
Sacrifices and gains
Emily noted the sacrifices and gains she and her sister made to excel academically.
“With Kelli and me both getting these accomplishments, I feel like it was something that really bonded us together,” Emily told the L-E. “We both cared about our grades a lot, so we always looked out for each other and helped whenever we could. With all this, though, there were also bad things about accomplishing this.”
Focusing on schoolwork reduced their time for extracurricular activities and socializing.
“It really took a toll on me and my ability to make friends and fit in,” Emily said. “. . . Despite these things, I wouldn’t have changed anything.”
After the ceremony, Kelli said, “I was overjoyed to see all the graduates shouting and being excited.”
Emily added, “It still doesn’t feel real. It hasn’t fully processed in my mind that we have graduated and won’t be going back to school in the fall. Overall, it was an unbelievable experience that I will never forget.”
The twins plan to attend Auburn University. Both will pursue careers helping animals: Kelli majoring in wildlife ecology and management to become a veterinarian, and Emily majoring in organismal biology to open an animal sanctuary.
So 18 years after they were born at less than 4 pounds each via an emergency C-section and were treated in a neonatal intensive care unit for two months, the Angel twins have overcome that prediction from those medical experts.
“It was a scary time,” Shannan said of the delivery and hospital stay, “but they were fighters, and they made it through.”
Although the twins crawled and walked a little later than most infants, Shannan and Fernando did their part to help them not have mental development delays, teaching them the alphabet, numbers, colors, shapes, words, short sentences and how to write their names.
“We have always encouraged our children to give their all and do the best they can at everything they do,” Shannan said. “We have been supportive and available if they ever had a question or needed help with anything. However, their determination and drive is what ultimately led them to become val and sal.”
This story was originally published June 1, 2022 at 11:54 AM.
