Cole and Lily Bryant are current seniors at CCS who are finishing up their final days on campus. The Bryant twins are no strangers to the Carmel Body, their debut dating back to the Wee School classrooms in 2008. Cole and Lily Bryant were born and raised in Charlotte, NC. Lily describes her childhood as “very fun and sweet” as it consisted of spending time outdoors playing in her backyard, horseback riding lessons, discovering new animals to love and traveling with her family. Cole tagged alongside Lily for most of the outdoor activities but was always busy consuming his time with soccer practices and golf lessons.

Their parents, Chad and Stephanie Bryant have played a major role in their lives by supporting them in many different ways. Chad works for Centrios and serves as the National Sales Director. Stephanie works at CCS as Mrs. Tackles third grade assistant and has been serving in that role for three years. Cole and Lily are fraternal twins who are seven minutes apart. Lily shares, “When we were born the doctor said that we were the fastest twins to follow one another that he had ever seen!” The Bryant household consists of many different pets: a chocolate lab named Maggie; and rescue cats Spanky, Chubbs and Flash. Not only that, they have ten chickens who are all named after Disney princesses!

The Bryants attended Carmel Baptist Church long before having the twins and decided to put them in the three-year-old preschool classroom. From there, they continued on to Kindergarten, through elementary and middle school and finally all four years of high school. Both Cole and Lily are a part of the Alpha & Omega Society due to their dedication to attending CCS for thirteen years. “I love being able to walk the halls and see past teachers. I have also loved to see how the school has changed so much and being able to grow up with my friends”, remarks Lily. Cole shares, “It’s really cool to be a part of the Alpha & Omega society because I was able to see the school grow around me and see how the Carmel family has come together.” 

Throughout their thirteen years on campus, the twins have had their fair share of memorable moments. Lily cherishes her time in Mrs. Vanderberry’s second-grade class because she loved all the sweet hugs she gave her. Mrs. Kaytons fifth-grade class and the unicorn debate in Mrs. Fox’s sixth-grade class are also monumental moments for her. Lily also cherished all the J TERM trips she had the opportunity to attend, especially her junior year trip to Costa Rica. In elementary school, Cole always enjoyed the annual Boosterthon event of running the track for the money he raised. The eighth grade Washington, DC trip was another special memory that he looks back on to remember the exciting sites seen and the bus rides with friends. Both had the opportunity to stay the entire week to help serve the middle school students at Windy Gap. Cole enjoyed running the “minute to win it” challenge games, nightly worship and spending time with the younger children. 

Outside the classroom, Lily enjoys lifeguarding, spending time with friends and traveling with her family. She also volunteers at Misty Meadows which is a therapeutic riding center for children with special needs. Lily has played volleyball for eight years. Five of those years were spent on the middle school, junior varsity and varsity teams. She also played on semi-national teams for four years at Carolina Union Volleyball Club. Not only does she enjoy volleyball, but you can also find her cheering on her favorite NFL team, the Dallas Cowboys. Similar to Lily, Cole is a huge fan of sports. He enjoys spending time on the golf course working on his swing, hopping on XBox games with his friends, and spending time hanging out with friends and family. Cole has been a part of the CCS athletic department for both middle school and high school. He joined the soccer program in sixth grade and continued through his freshman year. After realizing his passion for golf, Cole began to spend more time on the course and joined the Varsity team in the eighth grade.

Both Lily and Cole are excited to see what their future holds but will miss the familiarity of the CCS campus. Lily remarks that she will miss “seeing my closest friends on a daily basis. Carmel has been such a familiar place- I haven’t known anything other than CCS.” Cole will miss the amazing teachers he has formed relationships with and who have helped grow him as a person. Melissa Solomon states, “Lily is the Liliest of the Lilys, but I appreciate how she always comes to class joyful, ready to learn and is a genuine friend to all.” Joel McMillion remarks, “I have been able to teach Cole multiple years in Christian Leadership Practicum and this year is Senior Bible. I have always appreciated that he is willing to step in wherever needed with very little need for goading or begging. He is confident in his strengths but also recognizes his own shortcomings and receives constructive criticism well. He and Lily both demonstrate a cavalier independence that allows them to stand firm on their own convictions and opinions without being swayed by peer pressure. That doesn’t mean they won’t go along. It just means they only do the things they really want to do.”

As the twins plan to walk the stage and receive their diplomas in the upcoming weeks, the two are excited about the places they are going! Cole plans to attend Randolph Macon College in Ashland, VA to pursue a degree in accounting. He plans to graduate in 2028 and begin working for a large accounting firm or company. Not only is he studying at Randolph, but he is committed to playing on their golf team! Lily plans to attend Anderson University in Anderson, SC to pursue a degree in nursing. Lily’s passion for the medical field stemmed from her love for animals; however, she decided to veer off from the veterinary track and focus on caring for humans. 

Although their days on campus are numbered as graduation approaches, the Bryant twins are soaking up their final moments with their teachers, friends and most importantly one another. Both have made lasting friendships with people that will continue beyond the CCS halls. Senior Nick Cady states, “Cole has been a great friend to me since I came to CCS sophomore year. He and his whole family have been so welcoming to me. I am thankful for our friendship.” Senior Charlotte Russell has been one of Lily’s closest friends since early middle school. She shares, “Lily has been a sweet friend for many years since I came to Carmel. She is smart, and witty and never fails to bring a smile to my face. I love her!”