Eleven-year-old Meigen Yu decided after a friend’s birthday party that she wanted to become an ice skater. Her 10-year-old sister Ailin made the same decision to follow in her sister’s footsteps.

The Yu sisters have been ice skating for two years now, and both are accomplished skaters as they have each earned top three medals. The Fairfield natives were in Ames on Saturday for the figure skating competition in the 19th annual Iowa Summer Games. Ailin secured two bronze medals and earned the opportunity to participate in the State Games of America in Colorado Springs next year. Her sister, on the other hand, wasn’t able to earn the same opportunity.

Both girls have entertained the thought of being professional skaters and maybe one day participate in the Olympics, but the pair have to make out of school first with a good education.

The girls’ father, Larry Sutton, said he didn’t understand the importance of a good education when he was young.

“I thought a good education was just to get a job,” he said.

Although both girls are successful ice skaters, Sutton said his daughters are also exceptional in the classroom and in other activities.

“They both play classical piano; they are both accomplished artists, a little sculpting, a little painting,” he said. “They are both home-schooled, so that allows us the flexibility to skate as well.”

He also said they scored in the 99th percentile the last time they took the Iowa Test of Basic Skills.

Sutton, who is a physician with two medical specialties as well as a doctorate in chemistry, said he and his wife Sophia, who has a Master’s degree in chemistry as well, decided to pull their children from their private school two years ago because they “weren’t being challenged enough.” Sutton said that was just a coincidence with the girls’ beginning ice skating at the same time.

Both girls said they enjoy the home-schooling. Meigen likes math because “it’s fun” and also loves to write long stories and poetry — she won a poetry contest last year, and Ailin said her favorite subject is art.

“I’ve been writing since I learned how to spell,” Meigen said.

She said she would want to be a poet or a writer when she grows up.

“I really love to paint,” Ailin said. “I also do a lot of pencil drawings too.”

Ailin said she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do when she grew up.

At least professional skating is there as a backup.