Twins, LC sprinters, are top school talent

Sometimes Le’Ecia and Lakecia Farmer finish each other’s sentences. They also listen to each other, then add perspective and praise with the admiration of an ardent fan. The Lewis and Clark High School seniors and twins are each other’s biggest supporters.

“We’ve been through a lot,” said Lakecia. “It’s good to know someone has your back.”

Le’Ecia continued. “Going through the same experiences with another person makes it easier to get through them.”

While growing up the twins struggled to fit in as exceptionally smart kids with big goals but few resources.

“When our parents divorced it changed our lives,” said Lakecia. “We already struggled with money and it got more stringent. We moved a lot.”

“We’d make friends and have to leave,” added Le’Ecia.

Neighborhood friends often didn’t share their longing to learn and go to college. Yet in their honors classes they were usually the only students of color or with financial challenges. “We realized there weren’t a lot of people like us from the same socioeconomic background,” said Lakecia.

But they had each other and found a niche in track, where background didn’t matter and they could compete together while exploring their individuality through different events.

“Being in track was so helpful for us going through an identity crisis. Track helped us belong somewhere,” said Lakecia. “It’s important for everyone to have a group who accepts you for who you are, so you can grow in who you are and not who someone else wants you to be.”

Their coach, Stephanie Splater, described the twins as stellar student-athletes and natural leaders who competed on varsity all four years and earned a spot in the LC Hall of Fame. They also maintained high grade point averages with difficult course loads. But their character is what impressed her most.

“I’ve never had anyone like them who displays so much maturity and natural leadership and kindness to teammates and coaches. They’ve always shown the highest character and leadership skills, even as freshmen,” she said.

After their freshman year, the track team’s head coach, Pat Pfeifer, died. Splater, who was his daughter, explained that it was difficult for the team but the Farmer twins rebuilt team morale. “They have been the glue that’s kept this team together the last four years,” said Splater, describing how the twins organized numerous team bonding activities and offseason training, recruited and constantly encouraged their teammates.

“It has made a huge difference on our team. They’ve been vocal leaders when we needed a pep talk or encouragement. It is a positive experience for everyone,” said Splater.

But athletics were just one area where Le’Ecia and Lakecia excelled, though they forged different paths through high school as a reflection of their different personalities and interests.

The more reserved twin, Le’Ecia, took AP classes and excelled in foreign language and art, while the more outgoing Lakecia did Running Start and excelled in math, said their mother, Linda Wright.

“Lakecia looks at things from the intellectual world. She really is very knowledgeable in a lot of areas, (more so) than kids her age because she overthinks things. She has to get every aspect of one little area of knowledge. Her mind is constantly going,” said Wright.

On the other hand, Wright described Le’Ecia as a quiet watcher who observes before making decisions. “She has to put a lot of thought into it before she acts. She has always been a doodler. You might think she isn’t paying attention but that’s how she thinks. When her pencil is moving then she is thinking.”

Wright said she is proud of the girls for setting goals and striving hard until they met them, most notably going to college next year.

“They never stop striving,” said Wright. “They pulled something out of themselves to make it to where they are.”

Along with that drive to achieve, Le’Ecia and Lakecia share a love of languages, culture, art, food and music and said they developed a passion to embrace diversity from their eighth-grade teacher, Jamie Smith.

“We don’t like to judge people,” said Lakecia. “We’re all so different. It’s important to acknowledge every individual.”

Le’Ecia added that they’ve “helped each other define that value. We’ve had difficulties but we open up with each other. It’s OK to be different.”

This fall they’ll pursue their differences and live apart for the first time as Lakecia goes to Washington State University to study political science and Spanish while Le’Ecia attends The Evergreen State College with a long-term goal of changing the fashion industry with sustainable design.

According to their counselor, Kathy Blancher, their past efforts and achievements predict future success. “It’s incredible to list the things they’ve overcome,” said Blancher. “They’ve pulled themselves up by the bootstraps.”