It is quite rare that one witnesses twins having excellent relations and cooperation while achieving the same degree of success and keeping their interests focused on similar areas.
Kathryn and Victoria Wyering of Ponoka have finished St. Augustine Catholic School with stellar grades and they both scooped lots of awards during St Augustine Catholic School’s recent recognition day.
They both stood out in categories of academic excellence while also being recognized for their active participation in extracurricular activities.
Kathryn and Victoria are now studying in Red Deer but they now have set their sights on different careers.
Having received, appropriately, the Ponoka Agriculture Society Award, Kathryn is currently studying crop science in Red Deer College with plans to move on to University of Alberta to further her studies.
Victoria, on the other hand, having received, again fittingly, the award of the Ponoka Chamber of Commerce, is studying business.
But Kathryn says the career choices they made do not necessarily mean that they will part ways in their professional lives.
“I am going into agriculture and she is going into business,” said Kathryn, “but we want to stay close and maybe we could possibly combine our careers together, business and agriculture could go together.”
As Kathryn is planning to take over the family farm at the end of her studies, both sisters hope that Victoria could play a part as the business manager of the farm operation.
As part of these plans, Kathryn will most likely return to live in Ponoka area but Victoria says she may continue to live in neighbourhoods closer to Red Deer.
Having come a long way together, the twin sisters both agree that the friendly and constructive competition between them have played a major part in their successful school performance and extracurricular activities.
They have both mentored and tutored younger students in their off-school hours and they have both learned to play piano.
“We have been playing piano for 11 years” said Victoria. As for what they like to play, “whatever we can put our hands on,” answers Kathryn, who is the more talkative of the two.
The young girls agree that they have small differences in character and behaviour, with Victoria praising her sister for being “smarter” and having a sense of humor. Kathryn agrees that she is the more outgoing character of the two.
When it comes to their academic achievements, what were the main factors?
Kathryn says she thinks studying at St. Augustine Catholic School made a difference mainly because the classes were smaller and they could build closer relationships with their teachers.
How has having a twin sister affected them?
Both Kathryn and Victoria agree that the urge not to stay behind the other sister did push them to be better and more efficient in both their academic and extracurricular activities.
But there was more to it: Kathryn says it was always a factor of confidence.
“When there is something that you are scared to try alone, then you are not alone.”
The solidarity and cooperation between the two sisters have never been seriously dented through all their years together.
While there were small flare-ups of disagreements over things like “you wore my jeans?”, both Kathryn and Victoria say their mutual love and respect for each other have always been the basis of their relationship.