12 sets of twins, one set of triplets graduate from Illinois high school

It’s a twin takeover.

Twelve sets of twins and one family of triplets graduated from a high school in Illinois Thursday.

The multiples make up about 8% of the graduating class at Vernon Hills High School, a small school located roughly 40 miles north of Chicago.

“It’s kind of crazy. I didn’t realize we had this many twins,” Evan Moore, one of the dozen sets of twins, told WGN9.

This unique twist on the monumental occasion was made even more special after the incoming freshman found out their principal is a twin himself.

“I think the neat thing about twins, in general, is they can celebrate their uniqueness in one another while also having this special bond and special comradery,” John Guillaume said about his relationship with his sister Josie.

Guillaume told the outlet he understands why several of the sets of twins have decided to stick together in their college endeavors, while others are testing out the waters alone.

“I think they realize at some point there’s going to be this little divergence and oftentimes, the end of high school is when that is,” he said.    

Evan and his identical brother Matthew are one set of twins that have decided to use their time at college to find their individual identities — especially after years of being confused for one another.

“Sometimes our parents and family members get it wrong, so it’s something you get used to after a while,” Evan said.

Brothers Health and Hunter Field have made the opposite decision and have decided to room together while studying at Illinois Wesleyan University next year.

“I think having a twin your first year, knowing someone on your first day of school and living with them for the first year, kind of gives you that safety net and confidence to make new friends and kind of enjoy this new chapter of life,” Heath said.  

The only set of triplets — two sisters and a brother — are all attending different colleges next year after each discovered the best school for their tastes but said they didn’t make a conscious decision to separate.

After spending 18 years together, however, the Irvin triplets are excited to use the opportunity to branch out.

“I think the only difference is next year there will be a lot more Facetime calls instead of text messages throughout the day to one another,” Olivia Irvin said.

Though the 13 sets of siblings to graduate in one class is a tremendous feat, it is far from record-breaking.

Fourty-four sets of twins graduated from nearby New Trier High School, in Winnetka, Illinois in 2017, earning them a Guinness World Record.