NATCHEZ — Parents are often the strongest supporters of their children when it comes time for them to turn the page to the next chapter in their lives, but a surprisingly large number of students turn the page without parents.

Tomara and Tamara Johnson are twin sisters graduating from Natchez High School with more than 200 students this year. Both girls are graduating with honors and are in the top 30 highest GPA’s in their class.

Their biggest struggle, however, was not in the classroom, they said. It was being without their mother since the day they turned 11 years old.

“For our 11th birthday we had a sleepover at our house and woke up the next morning and found her in the bed,” Tamara said.

“She had heart failure,” Tomara said.

Efetoya Johnson died at 35 years of age in August 2011, leaving her three daughters without her.

Her eldest daughter, Torian, was surprised when she had been called to the library two years later with 18 other seniors before their graduation commencement.

They were each presented with a plaque that showed a picture of the Natchez High School mascot — a bulldog — followed by their names and the names of a parent they had lost.

Natchez native Chantel Marsaw founded the organization “It Still Takes a Village (to raise a child),” that year after discovering how many students attended school after losing one or both parents at home.

“I had this vision to do a back-to-school celebration in my yard and invited the whole community,” Marsaw said. “I didn’t have ‘It Takes a Village’ then, but I just love to help children, and I love to help the community. It just happens that the same day (the Johnsons) lost their mom.

“I don’t know if God wanted me to do (the party) that day because he knew that he was going to remove her from them and they would need someone,” Marsaw said through tears. “They were so small.”

The girls did not celebrate their 11th birthday alone. Without even knowing that it was their birthday, Marsaw said they had cake and food readily available.

Her organization helped many students cope with their losses and get through school, and Tomara said it helped to shift her whole attitude.

“I used to get into a lot of trouble,” Tomara said, “but I learned to change my attitude and to stop getting in trouble as much.”

Torian took on the responsibility of raising her two younger sisters alongside their grandmother, Betty Johnson.

Tomara and Tamara said that Marsaw also motivated them since their mother died, and is now proudly celebrating their graduation with them.

Both sisters are involved in the National Honor Society and the Student Government Association at Natchez High School.

Tamara said her favorite subject is English and she wants to attend nursing school at Jones County Junior College while Tomara said she enjoys math and wants to study physical therapy.

Both girls have a common goal with their chosen professions.

“I just want to help others,” Tamara said. “I think it’s good to help, and I see a lot of people who are sick.”

Tamara said Marsaw’s organization helped her and her sister see they had a bright future ahead of them by helping them cope with their past.

“Ms. Chantel was always there to help and talk us through stuff,” she said. “My sister, my grandma and Ms. Chantel — they all pushed us to keep going, even though we wanted to break down and give up.”

While crying, Tamara said she knows her mother will watch her and her sister graduate this Friday thanks to a village of support in her absence.

“Knowing that our mama is watching us, they push us,” Tamara said. “We wouldn’t be here without them. They just mean so much to me.”