Ilion High School - Class of 1991

Source is here Herkimer Evening Telegram - Page 1 - June 21, 1991

Photo Caption on Page 1

IDENTICAL BUT SEPARATE - Matthew, left, and his twin Justin Stutz will deliver tomorrow the Ilion High School commencement address as one combined speech. They gained that honor after finishing first and second in class ranking in the class of 1991. Beyond tomorrow, a day which they will combine their messages, their feelings as one to make a difference, the Stutz twins, long to experience the feeling of separation, and yet feel a stronger bond as they enter college. Together, people have not always seen them separately. "People always ask who is smarter or who is better at this or that. Not many people think of us as different. We feel we are the Stutz's. I feel like being mentioned by myself, as my own person," Justin said.(Telegram Photo by John McGraw)

Graduation to end double vision at ICS

ILION - Matthew and Justin Stutz are difficult to tell apart. The intellectual twins are also very close in academics, so close that when one of them finished at the top of the class of 1991, the other was right behind him, literally. Tomorrow, their lives will be another example of seemingly double vision.

But they will be at the top, an example of not only sheer knowledge, but of a tender love for each other that led them to excellence. They will together address a packed crowd of parents during Ilion High School's commencement exercises, offering a unique version of the main address.

But shortly after their tandem speech Saturday, they will be separated for the first time in their lives, each going their separate ways in college. After all, they are individuals.

For starters, though Matthew was born three minutes ahead of Justin on Nov. 11, 1972, in Rochester, he has always tried to stay abreast of his younger brother, who managed to be about point ahead of his older sibling. "We are very competitive. It's natural. It's in born. Justin usually beats me. No matter what it is, he beats me. As long as I can do the best I can," Matthew Stutz said. "I always wanted to find out what he got on tests, so I could finally beat him," Matthew said. Said Justin, "A lot of times, I will ask him what he got for a mark and he won't tell me until I tell him my mark and he'll say I asked you first." "When we are this close together, ifs kind of hard to keep secrets," Matthew said.

The seemingly combating twins actually have a lot of like interests outside of the classroom. They both play volleyball and soccer with the stipulation that they have their first initials sewn in front of their last names on their jerseys. They both like the same television shows, "Quantum Leap" and "The Wonder Years" and "MacGyver." But where Matthew prides himself as a meat and potatoes man, Justin finds favor in the more obscure vegetables. "He doesn't eat potatoes, but he likes asparagus," Matthew said. "Don't forget spinach," Justin said.

The separate but nearly equal duo finds humor in their birthright, but admit that it can be stifling, though confusing to others. The Stutz family moved to Ilion from South Daytona, Fla., in October 1988. Not long after that, they decided to have a little fun on the day before Christmas vacation in one of the classes they shared at the same time with the same teacher. They switched seats. "We told our classmates ahead of time what we were going to do," Matthew said. "When the teacher found out he was pretty surprised. The only problem was that we had a volleyball match and Justin had on his T-shirt with his initial on it and no one noticed," Matthew said.

In grade school, they were separated from attending the same class in order for teachers to be able tell them apart, the Stutz twins said. While their academic careers are underlined with some light playful chicanery, they have different pursuits in college. Matthew will be attending Long Island University at Southampton to study environmental science. Justin will be studying secondary education at Hamilton College.

But before they separate next fall, their lives, their words will be intertwined as one, trying to inspire a crowd to greater inner heights tomorrow. A day which began when Justin was announced as valedictorian with a 97 average. Right behind him, with a 96.1 average, finishing second in class rank as salutatorian, was his brother Matthew. "We didn't know until they announced it at the awards assembly," Justin said. "I was thrilled. I knew we could both be right up there," Matthew said. "There were others who we thought would get it — Julie Christenson and Jennifer Snedeker," he said. Said Justin, "I was proud of both of us."

They will deliver an address they learned as members of DeMolay boys' youth group, with one delivering a paragraph followed by the other. As valedictorian, Justin will start the lyrical, type speech, which they have vowed not to disclose. It was Matthew's idea for the combined speech after principal George DeLuco asked them for a title of their addresses. To have the right effect and impact, it needs to be precisioned to have the right nuances. "We have always done everything else together. It would be hard to different speeches because we think alike," Justin said. "It's a moving ceremony if it's done right. I don't know how, we'll make it through it," Matthew said. After all, they have lived closely together, and in loving, have not usurped the other, but equal.