2 sets of twins graduate with top honors on Long Island
HICKSVILLE, N.Y. - Two sets of high-achieving twins have just been named valedictorian and salutatorian of their graduating classes.
All four are 17, and live within two miles of each other, but have never met.
One set of twins goes to Hicksville. The other, to Bethpage.
As CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reports, accolades are pouring in.
In Hicksville, Sam and Sean Zhen - identical twins - are headed to Cornell.
"At Cornell, I'm planning to major in mechanical engineering. I found my passion in mechanical engineering through robotics," said valedictorian Sam Zhen.
"I want to focus on more on aerospace, because I've always been interested in airplanes and how they really work," said salutatorian Sean Zhen.
In Bethpage, Suchitha and Ruchitha Channapatna, fraternal twins, are off to MIT in Boston.
"Sontributing to aerospace engineering without creating pollution in our environment or in space," valedictorian Suchitha said.
"I want to go into the biomechancial engineering field and do something with prosthetics," salutatorian Ruchitha said.
"Do you finish each other's sentences?" McLogan said.
"A lot of times we do," they replied.
"Do you do everything together?" McLogan asked the Zhen brothers.
"Oh yes. We like to push each other to do our best, but we also like to compete with each other to see who is best," said Sean Zhen.
"It's an honor," Suchtha said.
"It's very bittersweet," Ruchitha said, to say goodbye to the schools that have supported them, and parents they adore.
"It's just very exciting to actually get into an Ivy League college when your parents didn't have the opportunity back in their countries," Sean said.
The Zhen twins speak Mandarin, and studied Buddhism, love biking, and badminton.
"To be a first generation student is inspiring to myself and my brother," Sam said.
The Channapatnas sing classical Indian music, and read, write and speak Sanskrit, the sacred language of Hinduism.
"Being the children of immigrants, that work ethic was really a big deal in our family," Suchitha said.
"The school is basically my second home. A very strong community here, with a lot of diverse student population," Sam said.
The Channapatnas said they've learned a lot through robotics, music groups, science research and more that they participate in - and they are thankful.
"Always do your best, even though there might be difficult paths," Sean said.
"Maybe you feel lost in life. Always just do what you want to do the most," Sam said.
Emotions are running high for the twins to follow their passions with their whole hearts and souls.
