Four cousins, each a twin, will graduate this year, having started together at Elkmont and finishing at Elkmont and Clements.

Fraternal twins Liza and Klair Carpenter are the younger of the four at age 17. Their mom, Shane Carpenter, is the niece to Marcus Hobbs. His identical sons, Ben and Davis Hobbs, are the older twins at age 18.

The four cousins appeared in The News Courier in July 2006 as 5-year-olds eager to start kindergarten together. Their parents described the boys as quiet and shy, while the girls had a more sociable personality.

Over the years, the roles have shifted a bit. Liza and Davis are now the quiet ones, they said.

“Every time we have a dance party, she’s the crazy one with the dance moves, while I’m the quieter one,” Liza said of Klair, who agreed.

“We’re both outgoing, but I want to put myself out more than she does,” Klair said.

“He talks more,” Davis said of his twin. “I always feel like he knows how I feel.”

“Yeah, I kind of talk for both of us sometimes,” Ben said.

Beyond that, though, the pair don’t have many differences, they said. They rely more on their similarities instead, splitting up homework assignments and enjoying having someone to talk to in any situation.

“Me and him are pretty much the same,” Ben said. “We just have different teams. I like Oregon; he likes South Carolina. That’s about it.”

Marcus and Shane were teachers at Elkmont when their children started kindergarten. Marcus still teaches fourth grade at the school, but Shane took a job teaching math and science at Clements when the cousins were in sixth grade.

Liza and Klair said they ended up having their mom as a teacher four times in high school, but they said it was actually OK. The sisters could get help from her whenever they struggled in a class.

Now that college is right around the corner, Liza is even following in her mom’s footsteps a bit. She said she plans to major in biology and minor in secondary education so she can be a high school science teacher, too.

She’s the only one of the four who isn’t sure which college she’ll attend for her degree, having only narrowed it down to two. Klair plans to attend Northwest-Shoals Community College for a degree in cosmetology. Ben and Davis will go to Calhoun Community College to get their core courses out of the way before determining their major.

However, they have to get through graduation first. Despite being the older twins, Ben and Davis have the later graduation date, as Elkmont seniors will walk the stage 8 p.m. Friday, May 24. Liza and Klair will walk with their classmates at the Clements ceremony 6 p.m. Thursday, May 23.

They said they’re all excited.