Take seniors Macie and Lacie Harp. Although they were born fraternal twins, they looked so much alike as children, that people mistook them for identical twins. They share that special bond that twins have, seemingly able to sense what the other is thinking or feeling. “It’s a twin thing,” says Lacie. “Say Macie is upset, and she isn’t talking. I can sense there’s something wrong.”

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As alike as they are, there are also some notable differences between the sisters. For example, Lacie’s taste in music runs to alternative rock and rap, where Macie grooves to ‘70s hits. “Like the Mamas and the Papas,” she explains.

 

They both have career paths in mind, but those paths do not follow parallel tracks. Lacie wants to attend Murray State University after high school, to study journalism and art. Her interest in journalism grew out of her habit of working through her emotions and problems by writing. “I like writing to myself a lot, like if I’m upset or not having a good day, I’ll just write to myself. It just helps me,” she says. She also likes to paint and draw landscapes, and recently developed an interest in photography, which she hopes to further explore at Murray State.

 

Macie’s career plan is to enter the medical field. She is currently taking Certified Nursing Assistant courses at Shawnee Community College’s Alexander County Extension Center, and plans to continue those studies at Shawnee’s Ullin campus after high school. Her ultimate goal is to work her way up from CNA to LPN, and finally to Registered Nurse. She is considering Southeast Missouri State as well, because she has heard positive things about the nursing program there. “I like helping people, and we need more nurses and people in the medical field,” she says.

 

They have both been inspired in life by different family members, but for similar reasons. Macie says that she has learned a lot from the example set by their mother. “My mom’s always been there to help us and support us,” she explains. “If something’s going on, you can always talk to her about it.”

 

Lacie feels much the same about their grandmother. “She was always there for me when nobody else was,” she relates. “When I was at my lowest point, she was there. She always told me to always believe in myself.”

 

One area where the twins are almost stereotypically in sync is their love for the Meridian community. “What I love about this school is the people. The teachers, they really want to help us.”

 

Macie elaborates, “When we went to different schools, Lacie and I wouldn’t really have any friends, so we stuck to ourselves. But when we came here, everybody that we grew up with is still here, and we’re all close.”

 

“I just love Meridian,” Lacie concludes. It’s a love that goes both ways. And, it’s a big reason why, no matter where these Harp sisters go in life or what they do, they will always keep a piece of Meridian in their hearts.