Yu twins are top of their class
It’s not unusual to see the Yu sisters together. The twin sisters from Carle Place have often been in the same classes, participated in the same activities and share similar interests. And that trend will continue on graduation day, when Lucy and Jessie Yu take to the podium as valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, for the Carle Place High School Class of 2016.
Jessie said she and her sister have always pushed one another to do well, with Lucy’s grades always being slightly higher. She said she expected Lucy to be valedictorian and worked extra hard to make sure she was close behind.
“The school gave us our rankings halfway through the year and I was third at the time,” Jessie said. “After I heard that, I tried to boost my grades and continued to work hard and do well on tests. I was happy when they announced I was salutatorian.”
And while her sister might have expected it, Lucy said the announcement that she was first in her class came as a shock.
“I was really surprised,” said Lucy, who had a GPA slightly more than 102. “Even though I knew I was doing well, I wasn’t expecting my grades to be the highest. I was really happy all my work through high school paid off.”
The sisters are involved in many of the same extracurricular activities, including the environmental action club, math honor society, national honor society, Tri-M Music society, Key Club, women’s choir, student run theater productions, ensemble choir and chamber orchestra. They also took a lot of the same classes.
“Once we got to high school, we made a lot of our own schedules. We both really want to challenge ourselves and did a lot of AP classes,” said Jessie, adding that she and Lucy had the same schedule for most of high school. “We were always together. That really helped because if we had any questions, we could help each other.”
Though they had many similar interests and classes, they did have their differences. Jessie was actively involved as class secretary for all four years of her high school career, spending much of her time working on projects like making banners for homecoming and Battle of the Classes events. One of the most fulfilling moments of Lucy’s high school career was her time spent volunteering at Winthrop University Hospital, where she helped transport equipment, file papers and bring food to patients.
They’ve been together for 18 years, but come fall, the twins will go their separate ways as Lucy heads to New York University to pursue a pre-med degree and Jessie heads east to Stony Brook University to pursue a degree in biology or optometry. Both girls said that though they are excited for their post-grad opportunities and to meet new people, they will miss the small, tight-knit community of Carle Place.
“NYU is going to be very diverse and large, it will be harder to find a sense of community there,” Lucy said. “At Carle Place, you could get involved in all the activities and you knew everyone. It was like a family.”
“I’ll miss the feeling of knowing everyone around you,” said Jessie. “Carle Place teachers are so caring and there was the opportunity to join so many activities and participate in this small community and the events that go on.”
Teachers and faculty described Lucy and Jessie as hardworking, intelligent and multi-talented.
“Jessie epitomizes the well-rounded and academically excellent student. I admire her unwavering tenacity, unparalleled work ethic and steadfast dedication to her school and community,” said Carle Place High School counselor Alice Jacoby. “Lucy is an inner-directed young woman deriving satisfaction from her own accomplishments rather than the accolades of others. It is clear that her energy, enthusiasm and commitment are unparalleled.”
“Jessie and Lucy are two of the most determined students I have ever taught and meticulous with everything they do,” said Christina Cole, the girls’ math team advisor and math teacher. “Their attention to detail is impeccable and it not only helps them understand concepts better but it helps them assist their classmates as well. They both strive for perfection in everything they pursue. They were truly assets to each of their classes.”
