CAVE CITY — Ashley Green and her younger sister Allison Green — younger by just 2 1/2 minutes — have always wanted to be at the top of the class. The twins have achieved that goal this year and are two of six valedictorians at Cave City High School.
“It’s a very competitive class,” said Vickie Green, 45, the high school’s counselor and mother of the twins. Their father is Steven Green, 50, superintendent of the Cave City School District.
“Those top six students are tied with a 4.14 GPA,” Vickie said. “They have all taken five Advanced Placement classes, which are the hardest classes we offer.”
The senior class of 86 also has two salutatorians.
“I am so excited,” Ashley said of being a valedictorian. “I’ve wanted this ever since I was in kindergarten. It means a lot to me to get this honor and the scholarships I’ve received. I’ve worked hard for them.”
Allison echoed her sister’s sentiments.
“I’ve wanted this since kindergarten, too,” she said. “It’s a special time for us, all of us. All the valedictorians have taken the same classes. We’ve become really close to each other.”
Vickie said of the twins’ accomplishments: “I am very proud of who they are as individuals as well as their accomplishments. They have been a wonderful blessing to us.”
Both Ashley and Allison plan to attend Lyon College in Batesville and live at home in nearby Sidney.
Ashley plans to major in chemistry and hopes to go to pharmacy school.
She has received the following scholarships: the Lyon College Honors Day scholarship, which is $16,000 annually for four years; the Arkansas Governor’s Scholarship for Sharp County, $4,000 annually for four years; the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship, $14,000 for four years; the Arkansas Eastman Trust Scholarship, a one-time award of $1,000; the Earl Collins Foundation Scholarship, a one-time award of $1,000; the Cave City Kiwanis Club Scholarship, a one-time award of $500; and the Arkansas Activities Association’s Interscholastic Star award, a one-time award of $300.
Allison plans to major in math. She’s not sure what she wants to do afterward.
“I’m debating between pharmacy and computer science,” she said. “All I want to do is go into something that makes me happy and that pays well, too.”
Allison has received the following scholarships: the Lyon College Honors Day Scholarship, which is $14,700 annually for four years; the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship, $14,000 for four years; the Arkansas Eastman Trust Scholarship, a one-time award of $1,000; the Cave City Kiwanis Club Scholarship, a one-time award of $500; and the Nikki Mendoza Memorial Scholarship, a one-time award of $500.
Both Ashley and Allison have been involved in just about every club that Cave City High School offers. Their three main activities, however, have been EAST, Key Club and Skills USA.
The twins played softball for three years but switched to tennis in high school. Their tennis team won the district championship this year.
When they were born on Aug. 28, 1995, Ashley weighed 7 pounds 14 ounces. Allison weighed 5 pounds 9 ounces.
“She’s always been stealing my food,” Allison said with a laugh.
As with most twins, Ashley and Allison did dress alike when they were younger, but not now.
“When we were about in the second grade, I came in and said, ‘I’ve had enough of looking alike,’” Allison said. “I said, ‘I want to be different.’”
Although they are identical twins, there are distinct differences in their faces and hair coloring. Ashley is a blonde, and Allison is a brunette. Ashley is a little taller at 5 feet 3 inches; Allison is 5 feet 2 inches tall.
“Both twins were blonde when they were young, as I was, but Ashley’s hair is colored right now,” Vickie said.
They have tried switching places in class, “but everybody knew,” Allison said with a laugh.
Steven and Vickie, who live in Sidney, have two other children. Son Aaron, who is 21, is a junior at Lyon College and works part time at First Community Bank in Batesville. Daughter Addyson, who is 3, is “totally spoiled,” Vickie said with a smile, “particularly by her grandparents.”
Vickie grew up in Cave City, the daughter of Tom and Evelyn Cobb.
She graduated from Cave City High School in 1987. She received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Arkansas College in Batesville, now Lyon College. Vickie started her teaching career at Cushman High School, which was consolidated with the Batesville School District several years ago. She received her counseling certification from Arkansas State College in Jonesboro in 1985.
“I was very much expecting the twins at that time,” she said with a smile.
She came onboard at Cave City High School in 1998. In addition to her job as counselor, Vickie also teaches one section of AP chemistry.
Steven grew up in Sidney, the son of Tommy and Carolyn Green. He graduated from Cave City High School in 1982. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in math from Arkansas College (Lyon College), a master’s degree in educational administration and a Specialist in Education degree with a major in education leadership from Arkansas State University. He started his career in education in the Southside School District. He taught math and was assistant principal at Cave City before becoming superintendent.
Vickie said twins run in Steven’s family.
“Ours is the third set of identical twins in his line,” Vickie said. “I knew about six weeks into my pregnancy that I was going to have twins.”
Ashley and Allison had their mother as their AP chemistry teacher.
“It was interesting,” Ashley said of the class. “It is the hardest class in the school. It was a little frustrating at times, but we made it through it.”
Allison agreed: “Like she said, it was the hardest class I have ever taken. We would have to go up to her (Vickie) and have her give us more explanation. We were able to ace the class.”
Vickie said she enjoyed teaching the twins in her AP class.
“I like being with the kids,” she said. “Teaching is a calling. It’s hard to be in an office all day.
“”I enjoyed teaching my daughters,” Vickie said. “It’s a little more difficult having your own children in class, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
When asked how it felt to be daughters of the high school counselor and the district superintendent, Ashley said, “You can’t get away with anything.”
Allison added: “That keeps us out of trouble. They know everything we do.”
Cave City High School will hold graduation ceremonies at 7 p.m. Saturday in the high school gymnasium.