PORTERVILLE, Calif. (KSEE) – Two South Valley students are dedicated to their school and sports and are getting recognized for their good character.
When it comes to the competitive spirit and a strong work ethic, those traits are in abundance among two sisters at Burton Middle School in Porterville.
8th grader Raquel Gomez is on the basketball team and in a leadership program called “Lighthouse.” Her twin sister Valarie plays volleyball and serves in ASB and both run track and cross country.
“We’re very competitive and having a twin is just.. it pushes yourself.. when we play track and cross country together, she pushes me. It’s really good,” said Valarie.
Burton’s athletic director says the Gomez twins always give 110%. He describes them as humble, grateful, and “quiet leaders.”
“You could work em real hard; they don’t complain. They’ll push themselves, and they’ll push their teammates, but they will never ever complain, and they put a lot of effort into what they do,” says Blain Smothermon, a teacher and athletic director at Burton Middle School.
The twins say they made a conscious decision to compete in different sports and participate in different leadership programs.
“I guess sharing everything in life we wanted to do separate stuff and I think that’s good because we’re really competitive too,” says Raquel.
“We’re very similar but very different at the same time so naturally she’s always liking basketball and I’m always liking volleyball,” says Valarie.
On the court or in the classroom, the girls have made an impression at Burton. They’re being recognized for good character and pursuing victory with honor, traits that will serve them well as they move onto high school and the rest of their lives.
