At one Texas City elementary school, five sets of twins roam the halls

What’s it like being a twin at an elementary school where there are four other sets roaming the halls alongside you?

Eight-year-olds Joaquin and Phoenix Hernandez, who are in the first grade, perhaps sum it up best: “It’s fun!” the two yell in unison.

Manuel Guajardo Jr. Elementary School, on the northwest side of Texas City, might very well hold the claim to being the Galveston County school with the most twins in attendance, but it’s not a number that school districts track. The twins themselves aren’t so easy to keep track of, either.

Starla Ray, who teaches kindergarten at the school, has had three of the sets of twins go through her classroom.

“They can be tough to tell apart,” Ray said. “Sometimes, you just can’t tell and it can get complicated when you think one does something and you ask to talk to the other one.”

The twins, on the other hand, have a good time with their twinness. On a recent Thursday, the school’s twins gathered in the library to compare notes on what it’s like to be a twin. Each set of twins dressed in matching outfits.

How are you different?

Joaquin Hernandez: Because Phoenix has lines in his hair.

Phoenix Hernandez: Because I like to play Minecraft and he doesn’t.

Hailey Bradberry: I’m taller.

Isabella Bradberry: And I’m older by 20 minutes.

Who’s better at homework?

Hailey Bradberry: Me.

Isabella Bradberry: Me.

Do you like being twins?

David Ortiz: We do because we like sharing my phone. My mommy found a phone for me and it was a surprise because I like all the games on it.

Samuel Ortiz: On Christmas, I always think of all the toys I get, and David gets the same toys!

How do you know you’re twins?

David Ortiz: Because my mommy told us when we were babies. It means we’re the same.

Samuel Ortiz: We’re the same, except not the same shoes. He’s got green, I’ve got red.

Have you ever pulled off any cool twin tricks?

Angel Wilcox: We dress the same and play games a lot. And at our old school, we would change places during rotation and my teacher wouldn’t notice.

Angela Wilcox: And then we’d tell our teachers in the middle of class and she’d say, ‘Y’all get back in your right class!’

What’s your favorite part about being twins?

Angel Wilcox: We get to eat together a lot.

Angela Wilcox: Our favorite food is broccoli.

What happens when you see each other around school?

Evann Astorga: When we’re not in the same class and we see each other, we hug.

Ivann Astorga: Sometimes, we’re not in the same class because they know we’d get in trouble.