Freshman Gavin O’Meara varies from his sister, junior Penelope O’Meara, in only a few ways, but for the most part, they are very similar. 

Most siblings spend their time arguing and trying to differentiate themselves from each other. On the other hand, Gavin is not afraid to follow in his sister’s footsteps, and that is not the only way they differ from other siblings.

“I think we’re good friends,” Gavin said. “And, we don’t really fight a lot, and we have similar interests as well.”

Most siblings will have one or two hobbies or things they enjoy in common; Gavin and Penny have about five hobbies in common.

Gavin has followed in Penny’s footsteps—in seventh grade, he joined the cross-country team and still runs today. 

“At first, [I joined the team] back in seventh grade [because Penny did cross country],” Gavin said. “But, I started to enjoy it more and the people around it, so I kept going with it.” 

Cross country was the earliest way Gavin and Penny connected through school hobbies, but it is not the only one. Gavin is a part of the STEM program and joined the Odyssey of the Mind (OM) team, all of which Penny has partaken in. 

In simple high school life and in all of these activities he participates in, Gavin has been given the upper hand; he has the knowledge other freshmen do not have access to. 

While most younger siblings would grumble and ignore their older siblings’ advice, Gavin hangs onto the words of wisdom Penny has passed down. 

“I enjoy [doing similar activities as Penny],” Gavin said. “It helps a lot because if you have any questions or if you’re confused about something, you can always ask your sister or your sibling, and they can answer it because they’ve gone through the experience recently.”

Gavin has not only Penny to ask for guidance; her friends are more than happy to steer Gavin in the right direction. 

“[Penny’s friends have] told me what not to do and what to do in certain situations in high school,” Gavin said, “and they’d steer me to what classes are more fun versus more boring.”

His connection to his sister’s friends is aided by being on the same OM team. This activity connects to a lot of aspects of Gavin’s life: another hobby to partake in with his sister, hang out with her friends, bring his friends into the mix, and show off his STEM skills. 

Gavin was able to perform in a competition for OM recently where he and Pennys’ team scored first place. 

“STEM teaches me a lot about how to build and what’s structurally sound,” Gavin said. “So, whenever we’re building props or stages for Odyssey of the Mind, [my team and I] are able to make sure that it stays up, and we can make [the props] so that they are sturdy enough without obstructing the appearance. [And doing the actual competition] was a lot of fun. I was a little bit nervous going into it, but we did really well. We got first place for the regional competition, and [Penny and I] got to spend a day together with her and all of her friends and my friends, and it was fun.”

Gavin and Penny are clearly close not just as siblings, but as friends as well. They are involved in many activities together, and at home after a long day of school and homework, they will settle down together and play board games or watch a show such as Brooklyn Nine Nine. 

A lot of time is spent together, and Gavin adores it: the inside jokes, the advice, and the friendship.

 “I’d [want to tell Penny], ‘I love you, and you’re the best,’” Gavin said.