Double up on the diplomas: Carroll has 6 sets of twins in the Class of 2023!

A substantial six sets of twins are set to graduate from Carroll in June 2023.

“I cannot recall a year where there were six sets of twins in one graduating class.” said Mrs. Allison Papantoniou, assistant principal for academic affairs. “I noticed how many there were when I was making the rosters this summer. 

Archbishop Carroll’s Class of 2023 includes 172 students.

Of every 1,000 live births in the U.S., 32.1 are twins, according to the February 2022 edition of the National Vital Statistics Reports published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That means 3.2 percent of all live births are twins, so the six sets of twins in the Class of 2023 is actually statistically average in the U.S. Still, it doesn’t seem to be the average at Carroll.

“I think it is unusual to have six sets of twins in the grade, especially because we have such a small class size, but I think after four years, it’s become very normal to be around,” said Lauren Martin.

Even though there are a lot of twins in the senior class, they are not all friends nor aware of how many sets of twins are in the class. 

 “When I did learn how many sets there were I was surprised because it’s unusual for me to have that many in the same class,” stated Madison Martin. “However, I don’t really notice the number because I don’t group the sets of twins together.” 

Madison and her sister are identical twins, as are Paige and Brooke Quigley. For some, telling the pairs of sisters apart may be a challenge, but Mrs. Papantoniou seems to have gotten the hang of it.

“While there are a couple of sets that still make me stop and think, who’s who, I know who most of the students are at this point in their Carroll years by their choice of activities, personalities, or minor facial differences,” Mrs. Papantoniou said.

Although some twins, like the Quigleys and the Martins, may look alike, they aren’t carbon copies of each other. For example, twins don’t necessarily have the same IQs.

Identical twins are about 85 percent similar in IQ, whereas fraternal twins are about 60 percent similar. This would seem to indicate that half of the variation in intelligence is due to genes, according to Psychology Today. 

Having a sibling in the school, especially a twin can definitely be challenging and can make students’ high school experience different from others. 

“Going to school with my identical twin is both very fun and sometimes annoying,” stated Lauren Martin. “Going to school with my sister is like being with my best friend all day, but it does pose some challenges too. It’s hard to be treated like an individual at school because I am constantly surrounded by someone who is identical to me. We are constantly grouped together by teachers and peers which becomes very tiresome after a while.”

“Having a twin can also promise a friend and connection,” she added. “It may be hard for them to gain their own identity and a little harder to pave a way to make their own name in school without it being attached to their friends. “