May 20, 2016MA

Anna and Alice Romanov named Valedictorian and Salutatorian “The Romanov twins”—a phrase seemingly synonymous with the brilliant and hardworking sisters, Anna and Alice, who were recently recognized as class vale-dictorian and salutatorian, an hon-or which includes speaking at the 2016 commencement ceremony. Though “hardworking” and “bril-liant” apply to both Romanovs, this generalization omits a large consideration: individuality. “We’re known as ‘the Ro-manovs’, ‘the twins’. No sense of identity,” said Alice Romanov on her and Anna’s shared repu-tation, a topic both sisters feel is central to their respective charac-ters. “We have an image here that everybody knows and we can’t re-ally break away from that… We can’t get rid of those preconceived notions. They stick with us.” Alice and Anna both face a very similar, if not identical, ste-reotype: the idea that they are to-gether one single-minded, school-oriented being. In reality, the two retain their specific personalities. “[Alice] is the dreamer and I’m the determinist,” said Anna, “and

RHS Valedictorian Anna Romaonv

I guess, yeah, when you put them

together, that’s a pretty dynamic duo, but we are different people.” If they are not seen as the same, Anna and Alice are often compared to one another. When asked if they experience sibling rivalry and competition, Anna said, “I’ve kind of accepted that [Alice] is better at some things, and I at others.” Additionally, both sisters have each gone down their own paths. “Taking differ-ent directions has been good be-cause we can’t compare ourselves to each other, which has lessened the competitiveness and boosted the support system,” said Alice. In the previous summer, Al-ice traveled to L.A. with a con-temporary dance company, where she performed in a show featuring dance, violin, and spoken word, while Anna was participating in the Governors Honors program. This is just one way the twins have sep-arated their activities; Anna works in a hospital, and Alice at Fickle Pickle. Furthermore, they did not apply to any of the same colleges. “I’m most likely going to Geor-

gia Tech because it’s in state, I get a full ride, and it just makes sense,” said Anna. “It really is what you make of it. You could go to UGA or Georgia Tech and have as good or even brighter a future than if you go to Stanford or Harvard.” Alice is consider-ing Wake Forest. “It perfectly fits everything I need… The fact that they look at me as a person and not as a number is great,” she said. Anna has plans to study bio-medical engineering, and Alice is thinking about exploring the ef-fect of dance on neurodegenera-tive diseases, though these areas of study are in no way set in stone. Both Anna and Alice agreed that they are ready to go off to college, and that they don’t think the sepa-ration will be particularly difficult. “I keep looking forward to May 26, graduation, but I’m also a lit-tle scared because ten years from now, I might miss being in high school and living here,” said Anna. Though they have their differ-ences, Anna and Alice are both resolute in the importance of hav-

ing a social life despite academic pressures. “There are more im-portant things in your life than grades”, said Alice, “You have to really connect with people”. School and relationships go hand in hand for Anna. “You can’t real-ly divide the two because school is friends and relationships and mak-ing connections, yes, alongside all the on paper knowledge you’re learning. All the teachers you meet and all the connections they pro-vide and internships through the school, or even TAG seminars- You’re building so many connec-tions that will take you alongside the education and knowledge you gain; it will help you build your future up. So you can’t re-ally delineate them,” said Anna.

Alice and Anna consider high school to be much more than simply getting graded, and they want others to know a large part of school is about finding yourself. Anna said, “There’s ambi-guity in your future. You don’t know where you’re going ex-actly, but that’s okay because you can discover your path and what you love to do through that.”

by Noelle Pickard

Alice Romanov smiles for her senior picture.