Art, bowling scholarships help with education costs.

Kasey Shoemaker

SPRINGFIELD — The rising cost of college during a sour economy makes it especially difficult for most families to enroll one child in college.

But despite those challenges, two area families will each send a set of twins to college this fall. That’s because Kasey and Kayla Shoemaker, and Drew and Dustin Snyder hit somewhat of a jackpot as each set of twins was awarded art and bowling scholarships, respectively.

The Shoemakers will attend the Columbus College of Art and Design, while Drew and Dustin Snyder will attend Notre Dame College in South Euclid.

“We knew it was going to be tough money-wise,” Dustin Snyder said. “(But) the scholarship definitely eases the burden with two children.”

The Snyder twins graduated from Kenton Ridge High School as members of the two-time state champion bowling team. Outside of bowling, the Snyders also participated in band, choir and the National Honor Society.

The brothers selected Notre Dame because of its smaller class sizes with more individual attention from professors. Drew is currently undecided about his major. Dustin plans to be a premed biology major.

The Shoemaker twins, who graduated from Northeastern High School on Friday, May 28, were initially planning to attend separate colleges. Kasey wanted to enroll in a school with a strong art and athletics programs and was considering Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Ga. However, the sisters settled on the same school and opted for the Columbus College of Art and Design.

Kayla is considering majoring in animation or illustration. Kasey plans to study animation. Receiving scholarships and staying close to home was a relief for the twin sisters, whose family owns Shoemaker’s IGA in South Vienna.

“One of them had already told us she did not really want to go to school in Georgia, so that was kind of in the back of our mind,” Rollie Shoemaker said. “(But in Columbus) they’re far enough away that they’re going to stay there so they won’t be on their own, but they’re only a phone call away.”