Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The top two students in Southside High School’s graduating Class of 2023 will be attending the same college this fall.

Valedictorian MarSheunta Gunn and Salutatorian Taniya Dixon were among several Southside seniors who received their diplomas on Wednesday.

Gunn earned  Valedictorian honor for the second time in her academic career. She was the top fifth grade student at Bruce K. Craig Elementary School seven years ago.

“It feels so unreal,” Gunn said. “All of my hard work paid off. I worked so hard to be the best student.”

Dixon also said a lot of determination and effort went into finishing at the top of her class. “I worked real hard, I had a lot of sleepless nights doing homework,” Dixon said.

Dixon becomes the second family member to finish with one of the top honors at Southside. Her older sister, Alexis Dixon, was Valedictorian two years ago. She now attends UAB.

“Alexis and I both made our family proud of us,” Dixon said.