Twin Brothers James And Aaron Leow Share The Stage And More
BY NANCY GAGNET— MIRROR REPORTER
For the Leow twins, forget team James or team Aaron – it’s team Leow.
The brothers – James was born three minutes before Aaron – share much more than the same birthday.
“We really do like each other,” James said.
“I don’t really understand families that don’t get along,” Aaron agreed. “It’s really about good communication and something as simple as eating together.”
Their mother Michelle calls herself their biggest cheerleader.
“It’s my priority to support them,” she said. “And be where they are.”
Which means she’s everywhere.
The brothers are seniors at Maumee High School and involved in numerous activities.
James participates in speech team, student council, Spanish club, Link Crew and Select Singers.
Aaron is captain of the cross country team and a member of Junior Engineering Technical Society, orchestra and the French club.
Both are in the National Honor Society and take Advanced Placement calculus, physics and English.
“I’ve kind of mastered the art of knowing how to do homework whenever I can find time, and I’m usually up late,” James said.
In addition, both are cast in lead roles in the Maumee High School musical Kiss Me Kate, which will be performed on Thursday, March 25 through Sunday, March 28 at the MHS Performing Arts Center.
James will play Fred Graham/Petruchio and Aaron will portray Bill/Lucentio in the show.
Both have been active in musical theater dating back to the fourth grade when they shared the title role in Oliver.
They also appeared together in Annie Get Your Gun, Hello, Dolly!, Guys and Dolls and appeared with their older sister Caitlin in My Fair Lady.
Michelle said having the siblings in musical theater has made it less complicated for her.
“I’m kind of guilty of moving them in the same things and it turned out to be fun, especially for me, because I enjoy watching them,” she said.
The boys are also active in the youth group at Church of the Cross and have participated in mission trips together.
While they admit there may have been times in middle school when they didn’t seem as close as they are today, they’ve learned to enjoy the benefits that come with taking the same classes and participating in the same activities.
“I respect his sincerity,” James said of Aaron. “He pursues his faith and everything in a very realistic way.”
Aaron admires James’ work ethic.
“It’s huge,” he said. “And he’s willing to slow down and help even if means sacrificing time for himself.”
Michelle attributes their success to a strong support system from her, her husband Eric Klinger, the boys’ father Warren and his wife Karen.
“It needs to be a team effort between the boys. They have to support each other, and we have to support them and get them where they need to go,” she said. “We have to provide a support structure that allows them to be successful to do what they want to do.”
Big changes are on the way as they plan to attend different colleges. James is considering Miami University and Aaron is considering the University of Cincinnati.
James said not being together in school would take some getting used to.
“It’s going to be weird,” he said.