11November 17, 2011 TH E E VA NG E L I S T

YOUNG CATHOLICS

Top left, sponsor Andrea Wilary watches as the Bishop anoints Melissa Dixon with chrism oil.Above left, Andrew Antoinette speaks with the Bishop as his sponsor and brother, Nick, standsby him. Deacon Earle Flatt, who serves St. Madeleine Sophie parish and was the grandparent of

a confirmand, watches in the background. Four more confirmation ceremonies will be held in theAlbany Diocese before the end of 2011, with hundreds of young people taking the step tobecome adults in the faith. (Nate Whitchurch photos)

BY ANGELA CAVES T A F F W R I T E R

A lot of similar DNA is float-ing around the gene pool at St.Mary’s School in Waterford thisyear.

In the school’s two kinder-garten classes are three sets oftwins and a cluster of quadru-plets, who join two units of twinfourth-graders to form a total of14 multiples.

“That’s just like half of yourclass,” remarked Mary KateGreen, one of the kindergartenteachers.

In her 26 years at the school,she’s taught several sets of twins,but never quadruplets — andshe’s never seen this many mul-tiples at once: kindergartnersBriana, Spencer, Cooper andKeegan Giles; Alyssa and TylerOrmsby; Logan and KeeganLinn; and Ryan and AydenLasher; and fourth-graders Juliaand Emma Rabideau andAllison and Claire Basila.

But the kindergarten teachersagree the familiar faces fit rightin with the other students andrarely create confusion or chal-lenges.

It helps, of course, that all thetwins are separated and eachclass has two of the quadruplets.

That’s an interesting develop-ment, noted Mrs. Green: “In thepast, you didn’t have the oppor-tunity to split them. When

they’re separate, it’s just likeanother child in your class.”

Other students at St. Mary’sseem unfazed until they spot asimilar face in the hallway.“They’ll say, ‘Oh, there’s anotherof you,’” Mrs. Green said.

One thing does confuse Sara,a kindergartner in Anne Pettit’sclass: Two of her classmates,both multiples, are namedKeegan. Ms. Pettit is more con-cerned about the fact that thereare a lot more boys than girls inher class.

But “they’re just kids,” theteacher said. “They don’t look atthe fact that they’re a twin or aquad.”

Most of the multiples are easi-ly distinguishable from oneanother, too. The teachers dolook twice to make sure they’ve

retrieved the correct blondeLasher boy from recess, howev-er: “One has a bit longer andthinner face,” Ms. Pettit ex-plained.

Ayden Lasher says he and histwin brother, Ryan, haven’tplayed any tricks yet, but peopledo get confused: “Mommy did,”he confided. “She didn’t knowwhich one was which.”

To ease the burden on parentswith several children in thesame grade, the teachers saythey’ve matched the timing oftheir lessons.

TogethernessMs. Pettit’s pair of quadru-

plets, Spencer and Keegan Giles,sit at different tables, but sittogether when the class settlesdown on the carpet and fre-

quently embrace.“They’re just used to being

together,” the teacher said,adding: “I don’t think they’re asdependent on each other as Ithought they would be.”

Experiencing kindergartenwith his brother is “fun,” Spencersaid. In fact, he doesn’t miss hisother siblings, Cooper andBriana: “I see them at lunchtimeand I see them at recess. Andalso in the car.”

The multiples point out thatthey each have different inter-ests. Briana, for instance, prefersplaying with toy ponies; Keegan,the Lightning McQueen charac-ter from the movie “Cars.”

“Cooper loves astronauts,”Spencer said. “I love dinosaurs.”

The quadruplets have similarfaces, but different-colored eyesand hair, Cooper and Briananoted.

“Keegan looks a little like me,”Cooper said.

“But he isn’t the same asSpencer,” Briana chimed in. “Weall have peach skin.”

We’re all specialCooper doesn’t miss the oth-

ers, but enjoys learning with hissister: “Being together is fun. Ifit’s only you, it’s not going to befun. It’s sadness.”

The quadruplets are quick toboast that they were born on AllSaints’ Day. They feel special

“because God made us,” Brianasaid.

“We were born the same day,and also, my mommy and daddyloved us so much,” Cooperexplained.

Mrs. Green said Cooper andBriana look out for each other.

Alyssa Orsmby, a twin andtheir classmate, agreed: “They’realways being nice to each other,”she said. “Briana was crying andCooper hugged her.”

Alyssa and her brother, Tyler,both play soccer and watch thesame television shows, but differin other ways. Tyler was first toremove the training wheels fromhis bicycle, while Alyssa claims,“I’m just smarter than him.”

These days, Alyssa said sheisn’t the biggest fan of being atwin: “I have to do all the work.”But she still misses Tyler “everyday.”

CATHOLIC KIDS

MULTIPLE CHOICE: Waterford school isinundated with twins and quadruplets

ABOVE, BRIANA AND COOPER GILES,two of the quadruplets, learn aboutthe weather in kindergarten. Left,Briana works with Logan Linn andAlyssa Ormsby, each of whom is atwin. (Angela Cave photos)