Ever heard the saying “my other half”?

Bella Amato, a freshman at Hershey, literally has one. Her twin Noah. Both Noah and Bella have seemingly identical personalities and both play lacrosse for the high school’s teams.

“It’s like growing up with a best friend.” Bella says being a twin is always having a friend and someone to talk to your whole life, and since they grew up together, they know each other really well. She likes having a boy twin rather than a girl because there is always more drama with girls, especially one in the same grade. Bella also said it’s nice because she has gotten to get close with a lot of other boys in the grade that Noah is friends with.

Having a twin also comes with good advice. Bella says that having Noah keeps her leveled in a way because he knows what’s going on in her life and won’t be scared to tell her straight out if she is acting wrong about something. Obviously having someone just like you there are inevitable comparisons. Bella says they got compared to each other a lot, but mostly from teachers. It is not necessarily who’s better or worse or who’s good and bad, but similarities and differences in the way they act or what they say.

Noah said “You experience everything with person so you are never really alone.” He loves having Bella as a twin because there is always someone there for him to talk to and know everything that goes on in his life.

Bella’s parents divorced when she and Noah were three. Her dad lives in Florida and her mom still lives here in Hershey. She says because they split when she was at such a young age that she doesn’t really know how life would be like if they were together. Bella says that sometimes it can be rough when she sees a big family together because it can be hard seeing that type of bond that she doesn’t have.

She says that the holiday activities between her mom and dad because her mom’s side has a lot of little kids which has means there are more games. While her dad’s side there are more adults and the kids always have to find something to do. Bella also says not being able to see them both equally and scheduling time to see both can be a challenge.

Her dad lives in Florida, which she says is tons of fun because she and Noah go to the beach often and know so many more people down there. She also says because they fly often, it is much easier to navigate their ways around the airport, and that it sometimes it’s hard not seeing her dad, step-mom, and sister, but when they do it’s nice to catch up. Bella also says she wishes she lived there full-time because she loves the beach so much and that everything is way more relaxed and and never rushed and it feels like summer all the time down there.

“It’s good to have diversity in the family and and now we are all really close and are open with each other.” Bella also grew up with step siblings along with Noah which she said was kind of hard at first because everyone came in with different mindsets and approaches to things. She says though having a large family it is never boring, and are all close even though there are so many of them.

Noah and Bella play on the junior varsity lacrosse teams. She says that it has helped her to make and get to know the other girls in other grades, along getting to know the girls in ninth grade better.

Lacrosse teammate, Ella Ferns, says “She is such a great person on and off the field. Bella is super focused and has been a great asset to the team this year.” Ella is looking forward to continue playing with Bella through the next years of high school. She says being on the school’s team shows more chemistry on and off the field compared to other teams she has played on. Bella says that she has more improvement on her stick work and and running to improve for next year.

Bella says having a twin, especially like Noah is something she wouldn’t trade for the world.