Twins Definitely In At Durant High Graduation

By GEORGE H. NEWMAN The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 19, 2007

Family and friends of students at Durant High's graduation Friday might have wondered if they were seeing double.

Eight sets of twins participated in the ceremony for the school's largest graduating class - 615 students shook Principal Pam Bowden's hand and received their diplomas. The graduation ceremony for Durant was one of two held Friday at the University of South Florida Sun Dome.

Only Riverview High School had a larger graduating class in Hillsborough County this year, with 650 students slated to graduate.

Of the twins, one set was made up of brother Everett Bezanson and his sister, Grace. Grace Bezanson had the highest grade-point average in the group of twins with 4.95.

There were two sets of twin brothers: Mark and Michael Thompson and Eric and Jason Sloman.

The five remaining sets were twin sisters: Algenise and Altranise Childs, Jacqueline and Jessica Cumba, Carrie and Sabrina Dawes, Ashley and Danielle Miller, and Amanda and Vanessa Sparkman.

Bowden said she was surprised at the number of twins, even in such a large graduating class. She added that Durant's graduating seniors shared traits one would expect from twins.

"They are a very tight-knit group," Bowden said. "They are also very academic, very vocal, and I am expecting great things from them in the future."

Ashley and Danielle Miller are identical twins who share nearly identical plans. Their lively pranks will continue into college, Ashley said, as they are bound for Warner Southern College in Lake Wales.

"I received a golf scholarship," Danielle Miller said. "Ashley doesn't play golf, but they offered her a scholarship and she took it. Now they have us both."

The Cumba twins moved to Hillsborough County from Virginia during the summer between their sophomore and junior years.

"Durant is a very good school," Jacqueline Cumba said. "We have enjoyed going there."

Both will attend Hillsborough Community College in the fall, Jacqueline said, "so we'll still be able to get together."

Everett Bezanson will attend Sante Fe Community College in Gainesville this fall. His sister, Grace, will be attending HCC. Although they took sign language together at Durant, they say they have the typical brother-sister relationship.

"I think that unusual bond only happens when you are identical," Grace said.

Most of all the twins seemed to enjoy the fact they were graduating high school together. As they marched into the Sun Dome auditorium to get their diplomas, they quickly blended into a blur of Navy blue and gold that made them all look relatively the same.

Reporter George H. Newman can be reached at (813) 865-4451 or gnewman@tampatrib.com.

GRADUATIONS

Hillsborough County public school graduations started Friday and continue through Thursday. Schools that graduated Friday are:

Plant High School

Valedictorian: Juliet Buesing

Salutatorian: Jessica Arizu

Number of graduates: 440

Fun fact: Principal Robert Nelson was slated to hand out diplomas with former Principal Eric Bergholm, promoted in March to a district-level job.

Durant High School

Valedictorian: Saima Siddiqi

Salutatorian: Darren Martin

Number of graduates: 615

Fun fact: Siddiqi has the highest grade-point average in Durant history, at 7.92.

Armwood High School

Valedictorian: Cheryle Alexander McBride

Salutatorian: Joshua H. Hilton

Number of graduates: 330

Fun fact: The Hawks' Torrey Davis, one of the top defensive line prospects in the country, will play football next year for the national champion Florida Gators.