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Graduation 2005

Brothers are doubled up on smarts

A sliver separates the grade point averages of the valedictorian and salutatorian at Wesley Chapel High, who consider themselves best friends.

By MICHELE MILLER
Published May 18, 2005

	[Times photo: Dan McDuffie]
	Wesley Chapel High School valedictorian Stephen Sikes, left, jokes with a friend in line while he and his brother A.J., who is the salutatorian, take part in the commencement ceremony rehearsal in the school gym. In August, the fraternal twins will head to Georgetown University. "We're each other's safety nets," Stephen says.

WESLEY CHAPEL - For six semesters Stephen and A.J. Sikes were dead even when it came to their high school grade point average. It looked as if the fraternal twins would share the valedictory spot at Wesley Chapel High School.

Until semester seven.

Both landed a "B" in different science classes, but one teacher graded on a curve. That decision put Stephen ahead by a mere two-hundredths of a percentage point.

Score: Stephen 4.46, A.J. 4.44.

Although Ellie Sikes, who like any good mother wants the best for all her children, was "a little irked for about 15 minutes," the brothers have no hard feelings.

"It would have been nice to be co-valedictorians," Stephen said with a shrug. "We know the difference comes down to a curve."

The twins have vastly different looks and personalities. Stephen is the taller, dark-haired twin who is known for being more outspoken and perhaps a little more impatient.

"I don't like wasting time doing things I don't like to do," Stephen said. "Like waiting around or driving to someplace.

A.J., short for Alexander Jeffrey, is fair-haired and stocky with a laid-back attitude that causes his brother to dub him "the slowest human being alive." Still, sometimes it seems as if the two have always been neck and neck since they were delivered by caesarean section at 7:15 p.m. March 19, 1987.

The delivery was frightening, but their parents were happy that neither would be known as the "older brother."

As youngsters, the two fought like crazy. Now they consider themselves best friends.

Over the years they often took the same classes, adopted similar study habits and partnered when it came to the school science fair. They both attended summer camp programs and a foreign-exchange program to France. Both worked part time at Florida Medical Clinic PA. This year the two even shared the editor in chief position at the school newspaper Paw Prints. And even though their mother encouraged them to seek separate friendships, both gravitated to same group. In August, the two will head to Georgetown University where they hope not to be roommates.

"We want to meet other people, have different experiences" said Stephen, who chose Georgetown so he could attend the prestigious School of Foreign Service.

A.J., who plans on pursuing studies in physical science, had trouble narrowing down his college choices. He finally opted for the same school as his brother because "there was a bustle at Georgetown" and it happened to be the school farthest north.

"It's beautiful," A.J. said of the campus. "It's different than anywhere I've been."

The strong, solid influence of their parents and grandparents has been a definite boon academically.

The brothers share fond memories of trips to museums and other educational ventures with their late grandfather, Seymour Sy. They were encouraged to read, especially the classics, at an early age. Ellie Sikes, a nurse turned full-time mother, has been an ardent volunteer in the schools, taking various offices on the school PTA and serving on the School Advisory Council. Their father, David, is a rheumatologist practicing in Zephyrhills. The family lives in Saddlebrook Resort.

Both parents set the bar high for the twins as well as their 12-year-old son, Michael.

Still, there is no doubt that they would not be as successful without each other, Stephen said. In fact, the two joke that if they were combined they might just be the perfect person.

"We each have different strengths," said Stephen "We're each other's safety nets."

[Last modified May 18, 2005, 00:50:19]