Chaminade twins John and Joseph Gomes named valedictorian and salutatorian

They don’t look or talk alike. They don’t even study alike.

But twin brothers John and Joseph Gomes share one thing in common: They are the first siblings to finish at the top of their class in the same year at Chaminade High School.

John, who was born one minute ahead of his brother, has been named valedictorian with a GPA of 99.42. Joseph, with a GPA of 99.29, has been named salutatorian of the all-boys Catholic school in Mineola.

"Our job is to help these young men become better than they thought they could be, from the moment they join us," Chaminade's president, Brother Thomas Cleary, said Thursday. "Both John and Joseph, in everything they've done ... have far exceeded even that goal of becoming better than we thought they could be."

The two brothers, both 18 and from Hewlett, have taken most of the same classes during their four years at Chaminade. They said they often helped one another, though their study habits differ: John likes to finish his work and go to bed early, while Joseph often stays up late to study.

"I know I have my strong subjects I help him in, like physics," Joseph said. "He helps me in a lot of other subjects, and I think we really complement each other."

Though the two competed academically, John said there was no sibling rivalry between them. Quite the opposite, as they leaned on each other for support, he said.

"At the end of the day, becoming valedictorian was certainly a goal that I had, and something I am very grateful for," he said.

Their parents, John and Barbara Gomes, said Thursday they tried to lead by example rather than putting pressure on their sons to do well in school. They said the teens had an innate work ethic, never needing to be reminded to do their homework.

"They were naturally curious. They were naturally innovative from a very young age," their father said.

The two also had a built-in support system in one another. 

"That's what's so incredible, is to have a sibling," John Gomes Sr. said. "To have somebody so close to you that when you're supportive, you're there for all kinds of fun times and for difficult times as well."

After graduating next month, the twins will head to Brown University in Providence this fall.

John said he has been interested in geography since he was little and plans to study international public affairs. Joseph said he hopes to study environmental engineering.

But while their paths may diverge, the brothers said their connection will remain unbroken.

"There's the bond that twins have," John said. "Certainly, you talk together, you go through the same life experiences together, and honestly, that develops a bond that's so much closer than a lot of other ones that you develop as life goes on. ... That's a really special thing about having a twin."