Lehman High School Senior Twins: (top row, left to right) Quadry & Saveon Kirkland, Courtney & Caitlyn Cygan, Brenda & Valerie Murillo, Joshua & Jacob Castro; (bottom row) Alexandria & Victoria Smith, Amber & Ashley Endicott, Kyle & Kody Banda, Mason Currie. Not pictured are Andrew and Luke Holleran, and Jaylon Currie.
by CAITLYN CYGAN and KYLE BANDA
Lehman High School seniors
Nine sets of twins are part of the Lehman High School 2012 senior class. In a few short months, these 18 students will have to break a bond with a sibling formed before they were born.
Graduation marks the time when these twins will begin their lives as adults – and not all of them will stay together. And while it’s not goodbye, it is a big change from the previous 18 years.
Senior year brings a range of emotions, according to twin Cortney Cygan. Hope, sadness, joy, fear – each set of twins said they’ve already cycled through many of these feelings. Little moments now seem more important and worthwhile, perhaps because they are trying to hold them as keepsakes for the future when life is different and the twins are not together every day.
“I know when we leave in August, I will no longer get to see my best friend every day,” Cortney said.
“It would be difficult if we were going to different colleges,” said Brenda Murillo.
Her sister Valerie completed the thought: “I think the same. I have been with her my entire life.”
This is the situation for most of the twins – they have been together so long they don’t want to leave each other. A twin is like a built-in best friend for life.
“It is amazing being a twin. I know that when I don’t understand something Jacob will,” says Josh Castro. “We will help each other succeed.”
“We know what makes each other tick,” said Kody Banda. “We are always purposely getting on each other’s nerves.”
Kody said that is just one of the perks of having someone with you all the time; you know exactly how to get under the other’s skin when they get under yours.
Most of the twins agreed there are also a few annoyances about being a twin, such as the near-constant questions from other people: “Which one is the evil twin?” “Who’s older?” “Are y’all twins?” and “You two look the same.”
Yet no matter how often they hear them, the twins said they still smile when they answer those questions.
The childhood question, “Can I go first?” also resonates with many of the Lehman twins.
“Cortney said she is tired of always being second,” said her twin Caitlyn Cygan. “I think I am going to ask if they will call her name first when we walk the stage at graduation.”
The Lehman High twins are busy making plans and final memories until the day comes when they take that next step toward adulthood.
“I am spending my last few months talking to people who I will not see a lot after I graduate,” said Mason Currie.
After all, twins will see each other again. It will just never be quite the same.
Hays Free Press reporter Kim Hilsenbeck contributed to this story.
What’s next for the Lehman High twins?
Brenda and Valerie Murillo: Texas State University
Amber and Ashley Endicott: Texas State University
Caitlyn and Cortney Cygan: Undecided
Kody Banda: Texas A&M or LSU
Kyle Banda: Tarleton State University
Quadry and Saveon Kirkland: Undecided
Mason Currie: Texas State University
Jaylin Currie: Austin Community College
Josh Castro: Austin Community College
Jacob Castro: United State Marine Corps
Alex and Vicky Smith: Texas State University
Andrew Holleran: Undecided
Luke Holleran: St. Edward’s University, University of Texas San Antonio, or University of Texas at Austin
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