MAROA - The three authors of "Farmer Frank's Farm Hands" looked to their own experiences to write the children's story.

All are involved with FFA at Maroa-Forsyth High School.

Tyler Marsh, Shelby Clifton and Dylan Trudeau also are students of Jason Doty, who teaches freshman and sophomore English at the school. After their book and three others written by Doty's students were completed, the students read them as a special treat to children attending the December meeting of the American Sign Language Story Telling Time in the Decatur Public Library.

Tyler said his group collaborated on the writing part, but the illustrations were his.

"I used to live on a farm as a kid," he said, so many of his illustrations of tractors, combines or trucks were drawn from memory, even though he gave them eyes and personality.

Doty said he assigned the project in the fall, leaving the topics open for the students. The only requirement was that the story have a moral value, a lesson to be learned. "I tried not to limit their creativity," he said.

"The Candy That Wasn't So Yummy" was written by Heidi Gut, Hillary Siron and Kayla Heise. They talked about Halloween safety and some of the things that might need to be done to stay alert and aware.

"Timmy's Big Tryout" was the creation of Lauren Seitz, Tessa Blakey and Calyssa Gramley. "I drew most of the pictures," Lauren said.

One of the girls' friends is on the basketball team, and that's how they got the idea for the story, she added. They decided that since one of their friends had a young nephew, they'd pass the book on to him.

Brooke Heibel said writing can be intense, after she, Sammy Stokes and Malyssa Wade decided on "Tommy Bakes a Cake" for their story.

"We're going to pass it around," she said, because members of the group either have young siblings or young nieces and nephews who can share it.

"It's rewarding at the end," Brooke said. "It's fun to look and see what you did."

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