SISTERS FINISH AT TOP OF CLASS

When it comes to graduating at the head of their class, Tracy and Terri Fisher of Scott City are old pros.

From grade school through college, the 23-year-old twin sisters have consistently been at the top of their class.

Tracy will lead the class of 448 undergraduates at winter commencement exercises Saturday at Southeast Missouri State University. Tracy has a perfect 4.0 grade point average.

Her sister, Terri, will graduate third in the class, with a 3.94 grade point average.

Both will graduate with bachelor of science degrees in secondary education, with majors in English.

Also, among the top five graduates are Susan Corvick of Scott City with a 3.95 grade point average, Anne Lang of Cape Girardeau with a 3.939 grade point average, and Dena Clarkson of Charleston with a 3.938 grade point average.

In addition, 28 graduate students will receive degrees during commencement scheduled for 2 p.m. in the Show Me Center.

Robert W. Foster, the university's executive vice president, will deliver the commencement address.

Foster will retire from the university Dec. 31 after more than 24 years of service, including a stint as university president. Beginning in January, he will work part time as executive director of the Southeast Missouri University Foundation, an organization that raises money for the university.

Forty-five undergraduates and 15 graduate students will be honored during an honors convocation scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday in Academic Auditorium. The undergraduates have earned at least a 3.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. The graduate students have achieved at least a 3.8 average. Ed Leoni, associate professor of health and leisure, will be the speaker at the honors ceremony.

For Tracy and Terri Fisher, honor assemblies are nothing new.

Tracy was valedictorian of her Notre Dame High School class in 1987 while Terri graduated fifth in the class.

The two sisters are each other's biggest fans.

"I don't think it's competition," said Tracy. "It's more teamwork.

"If I don't make the top score, I want her to," said Tracy.

Terri added, "If I write a paper, I have to be satisfied with it and she (Tracy) has to be satisfied with it."

The twin sisters say they have always been best friends.

"I always had a playmate when I was little," recalled Tracy.

Being a twin, said Terri, "you always have a best friend."

When they were growing up, it was sometimes hard to tell them apart. "Up until ninth grade, we dressed alike and wore the same hairdo," said Terri. "People would buy (us) one birthday present."

Said Terri, "We're so alike."

"We think the same things," added Tracy.

Both Terri and Tracy are finishing their undergraduate educations this semester by student teaching. Terri taught for seven weeks at Advance High School and is now finishing up seven weeks of student teaching at Cape Girardeau Central Junior High School.

Tracy is finishing up nine weeks of student teaching at Jackson High School.

"Standing up in front of the kids is the easiest part," said Terri. The hard part, she said, is "all the paperwork you have to take home, all the lesson planning you have to do."

Both said they have enjoyed their student teaching experiences. "The kids are great," said Tracy.

Both women said they may go on to graduate school prior to starting their teaching careers.

The twin scholars give a lot of credit to their mother, Dora Lee Fisher, who encouraged them in their endeavors.

Terri and Tracy both have a love for the written word. Growing up, they loved to read and spent a lot of time at the Scott City library, which was not far from their home.

"We read that's what we did," recalled Terri. "We were reading before we went to kindergarten."

When it came to reading, Tracy even read to her kindergarten classmates.

Tracy, who likes to keep a journal and write poetry, said her love for writing led to her desire to teach English.

As for Terri, teaching has been a goal since she was a youngster. "Ever since first grade, I have wanted to be a teacher," said Terri, fondly recalling a drawing she did in first grade depicting herself as a teacher.

While they are clearly pleased with their academic success at Southeast, both women are already looking to the future.

"That is one goal, one achievement," said Tracy. "It is time to go on."