There seems to be something in the water in this Texas township.
A remarkable 35 sets of twins are set to graduate from the Mansfield Independent School District later this month — with the unusually high number attracting interest from news outlets across the country.
The twinning teens came together for a picture last Friday, with one graduate telling the “Today” show: “It was really cool to all be together in one place. We all have a connection because we’ve all gone through life with another person by our side.”
The 70 teens are among 2,600 students who attend school in Mansfield, located in the Dallas-Forth Worth area.
Twins occur in about one in every 250 births, meaning that statistically there should only be 10 or 11 sets in the graduating class.
There is also one set of triplets graduating this year — another rarity for the school district.
Seeing double: Twins occur in about one in every 250 births, meaning that statistically there should only be 10 or 11 sets in the graduating class. KXAS
Distinguished duos: Angela Morka is bound for Yale, while her fraternal twin Anthony is headed to the University of Houston. KXASMansfield ISD said they are unsure as to what is behind the unusually high number of twins, but that they are exceptionally proud of the duos — some of whom are going on to attend top colleges.
Angela Morka is bound for Yale, while her fraternal twin Anthony is headed to the University of Houston.
“It will definitely be a change because we’re not going to be together like we’ve always been, but we can always still call each other, text each other and that we’re still there for each other,” Antony Morka told local outletKKTV.
The twinning teens are among 2,600 students who attend school in Mansfield, located in the Dallas-Forth Worth area. KXAS
Jordan and Joshua Morris are pictured. The pair say they’ve never been far apart from one another. KXASSome other sets of twins are similarly nervous about being so far apart.
“I remember when we were younger we started crying because we weren’t in the same classroom,” Jordan Morris told NBC DFW.
His twin, Joshua, chimed in: “We’ve never been separated for a long time.”
Meanwhile, some other duos are staying closer together, choosing to go to the same colleges.
The 35 sets of twins have attracted national media attention. The school district says they are unsure what attributes to the high number in their graduating class. KXASTwin sisters Avery and Keaton Slimak are both heading to the University of Texas at Austin, where they will be roommates.
“We’re pretty much best friends. We do everything together, and we get along really well, so we’re excited to stay together,” Avery told KKTV.
Mansfield ISD doesn’t keep records of twin graduates, but officials say this year is likely to see the highest number in their history.
The twinning teens came together for a picture last Friday ahead of their official graduation ceremonies. Mansfield Independent School DisMeanwhile, back in 2018, New Trier High School in Illinois earned a Guinness World Record with 44 sets of twins and one set of triplets in its sophomore class.
However, that record is likely to be eclipsed in the next two decades, with experts saying the Western world is now in a “peak twin” birthing period.
According to a 2021 study, twins are now more common than ever due to the rising use of IVF and other assisted reproduction techniques.
The study, published in the journal Human Reproduction, analyzed data on twinning rates for 165 countries between 2010 and 2015 and for 112 countries for the period 1980 to 1985. They found a 71% rise in twinning rates in North America when comparing those two time periods.
