It’s a bonding, sartorial move borne of their sibling closeness.
And it helped strengthen them as they acclimated to Hamilton’s school culture as rare, 16-year-old seniors.
Whether it’s playing on the school soccer team together, performing in school musical productions or excelling in the classroom — both teens are in the top 10 percent of Hamilton’s academic class — the quality these twins most often exhibit is success.
And mirroring each other’s clothing also hearkens back to a comfortable habit in Ghana where school uniforms were required.
It was surprising, says Alvin, when they first entered the 1,900-student high school in the winter of 2014 and saw students dressing differently.
“In Ghana everyone pretty much wore the same and looked the same and over here everyone just wears what they are comfortable with,” says Alvin, who plans to attend the University of Cincinnati after graduation. “But for us, dressing alike is pretty much a habit.
“And besides, we look alike so, we might as well look alike,” he says, flashing his frequent smile.
Jumping into classroom and school extracurriculars were keys to fitting in at school and into American culture, says brother Kelvin.
“In America as a whole and in school you have to try. America is a great land — and a land of opportunity — but you don’t just come here and be lazy and expect to move up high,” says Kelvin, who plans to join his brother in attending UC. “You have to put effort in it and you have to try and have that mind set of trying.”
“Normally in moving from one place to another you come with feelings of maybe I won’t be accepted or seen the way you want to be. But we didn’t feel any of that at Hamilton. It is very diverse and very comforting,” Kelvin says.
Christina Fox, vocal music teacher at Hamilton High School, marvels at how “they appreciate everything about their life here in America.”
“They are such talented young boys. They can sing. They can dance. They are academically strong and good in sports. They make friends everywhere and they are unique because they do dress the same every single day,” says Fox.
“We had one of our (musical) shows where they couldn’t dress alike — one had an orange shirt and the other a yellow — and it bothered them,” she says, chuckling at the memory.
Devout Christians, the teens are also members of the school’s Fellowship of Christian athletes.
“When it comes to expressing yourself, you can tell America is very diverse. Don’t be afraid to be yourself, wear your cultural image and the way you talk and the clothes you wear and the way you carry yourself,” says Kelvin. “Be who God made you to be.”
About the Author