Each year, 1.6 million twins are born! While that may sound like a lot, twins make up only 0.02% of the world. As many know, there are two kinds of twins: fraternal and identical. Fraternal twins mean that genetically both siblings are different. However, when you are a fraternal twin, you share nearly 50% of each other’s DNA. Identical twins share close to 100% of their DNA. Imagine walking around school knowing you share up to 100% of the same DNA with a classmate! While the world is only made up of 0.02% twins, Berkley High School is home to many sets of twins, both students and staff!
I got the opportunity to talk with freshmen Nora and Lyla Anantharam about what it was like growing up with an identical twin. They both said that they love being a twin because “you always have someone you can lean on, and it’s different than just having a sibling because you’re the same age; you’re really going through similar things at the same time.” Nora and Lylas first memory together was sharing a room growing up. While they no longer share a bedroom, they both cherish those childhood memories.
When asked about how they are different, they argue that they don’t look similar. But to a teacher, or someone who doesn’t know them well, telling them apart can be challenging. One of the difficulties of being a twin in school is when teachers get confused about who is who, and it makes it even harder if twins share teachers! The Anantharams say they are pretty different from one another based on how outgoing they are, and different personalities. Since twins can be so different personality-wise, I asked each twin what they envy most about each other. Lyla says “I love her ability to make friends. She’s so easy to talk to and will go up to pretty much anyone.” Nora adds that she is envious of Lylas soccer skills.
Similar to Nora and Lyla, Brooke and Maya Wittenberg are also identical twins! Their first memory together was when they attended the Twin Festival in Ohio. Annually, a festival in Twinsburg, Ohio is held for anyone who registers for the event. The twin festival holds opportunities like walk/run 5ks, a twin talent show, and competitions based on similar physical features! In fact, Brooke and Maya won third place “for most identical” for their age group overall!
Reflecting on their differences however, Brooke shares, “Maya is definitely more bold. She will stand up for herself no matter what, I am more shy.” Maya adds, “I’m not as funny as Brooke, everyone always says she’s the funnier one.” When asked about a misconception about being a twin, they answered in unison! They both said that people think they are the same person and experience the same feelings. A challenge the Wittenberg twins face in school is being distracted by one another. They both said that it is sometimes hard to concentrate in school knowing their twin is at school with them too. Both note that when they have classes together, it’s hard for both of them to focus. Even though they enjoy being a twin, they say they hate it when people refer to them as “the twins”.
While we have discovered student sets of twins here at BHS, what about teachers? Pre-Calculus and Algebra two teacher Mrs. Meinhart is also a twin. Many people may not know she has a twin because you won’t see them both at BHS. You will, however, find her twin at Anderson. Her name is Heather Roesner, and she is a Special Education teacher. The two say that in addition to looking so similar, they also act in the same way! Mrs. Meinhart says, “We are so very similar in many ways. We have the same mannerisms and parenting style. I would say my sister is more “artsy” and creative than I am , while I am definitely more competitive and intense.” Since they are adults and don’t go to school together, they no longer face the same challenges as the twins here at BHS. However, while neither of them still goes to school (besides work), a school-related challenge that they faced in the past was always being compared to one another in sports and academics. Mrs. Meinhart adds, “We didn’t see the benefit of having a built-in buddy and we were always competing but it wasn’t a healthy competition.”
Although the lack of being in the same building restricts time spent together, they make time to see each other often as they play pickleball or take an exercise class whenever they can. They also have some twin traditions like going out for “birthday brunch” and making trips up north together. They both envy different things about each other. Mrs. Meinhart envys “[her] love and energy for life. I find myself too often being negative or not enjoying the moment. She is always enjoying the moment.” Ms. Roesner says she loves how “funny and social” Mrs. Meinhart is. If it isn’t already obvious, Mrs. Meinhart loves being a twin. She exclaims, “My sister is my favorite person ever, she just gets me!”
In conclusion, twins in a school setting can not only bring a different dynamic to students but also to staff. Understanding twins for their individuality and their personalities is crucial in their experience and bond with their siblings. It’s so cool to learn about each individual set of twins and see what can be the same or different. These twins have proved how much they love being twins while also clearing up misconceptions and clarifying that they are not the same!
