Like-minded

Twins share highest honors at Malvern High School

— Haley and Hannah Birch have shared just about everything since they were born April 28, 1994, just two minutes apart in Madison, Miss., but perhaps nothing quite as special as being named co-valedictorians and summa cum laude graduates at Malvern High School.

“It’s pretty cool that we get to share this experience together,” said Hannah, the younger of the two. “We share the same ACT score of 33 and the same GPA of 4.22.”

Haley interjected with a big smile: “She finally caught up with me. Since the ninth grade, I had the higher ACT score, but this time, we both had the same score.

“It is pretty cool,” Haley said. “It’s funny, too. We’ve always been competitive. We don’t get mad or anything; it’s just a little push to get better.We’ve pushed each other to get better, and we’ve ended up being the exact same.”

The fraternal twins are daughters of Bill Birch and Luanne Birch, both of Malvern and both graduates of Malvern High School. The twins have two older brothers: Austin, 24, is a nurse with Baptist Health in Little Rock, and Bryon, 21, is in aviation school at Henderson State University.

The sisters have been accepted into the honors program at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Hannah received a four-year Honors College Fellowship from the school worth $50,000 and a four-year Arkansas Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship worth $40,000. Haley received a four-year Chancellor’s Scholarship from the Uof A worth $32,000 and the Arkansas Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship.

“We plan to room together at Fayetteville,” Hannah said. “We hope to pledge the same sorority, and we both hope to make the dance team. But if we don’t, I guess we’ll have to start learning to go our different ways.”

Haley said they would actually begin to split up once in college because they will have different majors.

“I’m undecided right now,” Haley said.

“I’m thinking biology or bio-chem or maybe some type of engineering.”

Hannah plans to major in business.

“Dad is in business (insurance), and Mom is in medicine (a nurse anesthetist), so I’m more like my dad when it comes to a job,” Hannah said.

Haley said her sister is “more organized” than she is. “I’m absent-minded, too. She keeps me organized.

“We’re both pretty outspoken,” Haley said, “but she is more head-strong than I am.”

The Birch sisters have always been in the same classroom since junior high school.

“We were in different rooms in grade school,” Hannah said, “but once we got in junior high and high school, we always had the same classes and the same teachers. I can think of maybe 2 1/2 classes that we didn’t have together.”

Their senior year at Malvern included taking four Advanced Placement courses - English, biology, U.S. history and calculus.

Although they no longer dress alike, the twins do share the same clothes. They were both blondes until they entered high school and Hannah colored her hair darker.

“I wanted to dye my hair darker, too, so everyone who saw us would know we are twins,” Haley said with a laugh. Haley highlights her hair with lighter blonde streaks.

While in high school, Haley and Hannah played soccer and were varsity cheerleaders. They were also members of the Malvern High School dance team the Showstoppers. Hannah choreographed many of the dance team’s routines.

Their sense of togetherness extends beyond the classroom. Each summer they volunteer with programs for children.

They work with the Kids Club through their church, First United Methodist Church in Malvern, packing lunches one Sunday a month and going to Bible school withchildren at a local apartment complex. They also volunteer at Camp Aldersgate in Little Rock.

“We like to stay busy,” Haley said. “We’re never bored.”

They won several accolades May 16 during the Senior Awards Assembly at the school. Hannah won the Outstanding English Award.

They both won the Arkansas Activities Association’s Active Scholar Award, the President’s Award for Educational Excellence, the National Honor Society Award and the Hilliard Jones Award for Math, and they both were recognized as valedictorians and summa cum laude graduates.

Their final high school experience was giving their valedictorians’ speech during graduation ceremonies Saturday at the Hot Springs Convention Center.

They wrote the speech together and, of course, delivered it together.

Tri-Lakes, Pages 55 on 05/24/2012

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