FAIRFIELD HIGH SCHOOL senior students Lando and Lilly Duarte, who are twins, have accepted academic scholarships to Southwestern University in Georgetown and both plan to run cross country and track for the Pirates. Pictured are: front l-r, Lando Duarte, FHS cross country coach Davin Davis and Lilly Duarte; back l-r, FHS coaches Dan Roberson, Stephen Heers, Dennis Johnson, LaDonna Brackens, Sally Whitaker and Darrell Piske. Fairield high school cross country and track athletes Lilly and Lando Duarte plan to take their athletics skills to college in the fall when they head to Southwestern University in Georgetown.

Although their distance running prowess has taken them to region and state meets, they have accepted academic scholarships to Southwestern.

In recognition of their contributions to FHS athletics, a reception in their honor was hosted Monday morning by the athletic department.

“They both are really top recruits,” Fairfield girls’ athletics coordinator Stephen Heers says.

A letter from Southwestern women’s cross country and track and field coach Francie Larrieu Smith confirms that the FHS seniors, who are twins, are being offered spots on the Pirates’ teams.

“We look forward to developing and utilizing their strengths next season and welcome their positive contributions to the cross country and track and field program,” coach Smith states in a letter.

The Duartes, who are 18 years old, both qualified for state in cross country last fall and ran as members of the Eagles and Lady Eagles track teams this spring.

Miss Duarte placed third in the Region III meet in the 1,600- and 3,200- meter races and was a member of the region qualifying 1,600-meter relay team.

Duarte placed fifth at region in the 1,600-meter run and was a member of the Eagles 1,600-meter relay team.

As well as they do in athletics, they excell further in academics.

Miss Duarte is ranked at the top of the FHS Class of 2010 with a grade point average of 5.67, and her twin brother is fifth in the class, posting a 4.94 GPA.

The students visited Georgetown and liked what they saw—-the student population is small at the private school, the campus is beautiful and the academic program is strong.

Miss Duarte is considering a major in biomedical engineering, but also is looking at other science or mathematics fields.

“I’m still open to ideas,” she says.

Duarte plans on majoring in business.

The twins were born in El Paso and moved to Fairfield with their parents, Sharon and Richard Heard, when they were in eighth grade.

Until this year, they studied together because they took many of the same classes, but as seniors their only common class is physics.

In addition to her academic and athletic honors, Miss Duarte is the 2009 FHS homecoming queen and was awarded the “Spirit of FHS Award” last spring.