Bliss Blumenthal, 15, was born in Austin, Texas. She is a very smart girl, but constantly misunderstood.

Johnna Vessey, 17, was once a troubled student, but the Academy@Hays lifted her spirits and her grades. Moreover, it gave her a chance to educate young children about the benefits of going to college.

Samantha Garza, 17, is a genius (understatement). She likes to listen to music and watch the people around her so that she can continue to write about them.

Ricky Gonzalez, 17, is an illustrator who worked on Wiley's Way. He only has one thing to say: "Disney might as well have my spot at the studio ready."

Katy Johnson, 16, was born in San Marcos and grew up in Kyle, Texas. She plans to be a veterinarian and a singer when she gets out of college.

Maria Mendoza, 16, is a senior and has two brothers she loves very much. (Ha!) She enjoys writing and drawing, and had a great time writing and illustrating this book.

Alex "Ohio" Mattis, 16, enjoys watching World Wrestling Entertainment matches and is responsible for anything good in this book.

Wendy Moran, 16, is a confused girl whom everyone loves. She loves to write wonderful and touching stories, poetry, and songs, and contributed many of the illustrations in Wiley's Way.

Samantha Owens, 16, mother of a one-month-old baby boy, dedicates this book to her son Noah.

Angel Saucedo, 17, enjoys watching the scenery in his small town, Uhland, Texas, and contributed to the storyboards for Wiley's Way.

Kim Torres, 16, mother of a three-month-old baby boy, hopes to become a probation officer. Writing this book has inspired her to try to fulfill her dreams, regardless of what people may say or think.

Letitia Gammage, 16, is a determined individual with a love of foreign cultures. She aspires to be an attorney specializing in international law.

NOTE: At the time of writing the book, all writers and illustrators were high school students at the Academy@Hays in Kyle, Texas.

Editors -Tom Grimes directs the MFA Program in Creative Writing at Texas State University, and is on the board of the Katherine Anne Porter Literary Center, where this project originated. He is the author of four novels and two plays.

Illustration/Design Consultant - Jonathan Clark was the Vice President of Marketing at Motown for many years, is an artist, and has established Teach1.org in order to use entertainment to educate children everywhere.

Principal Lisa Goodnow-Williams is the principal at the Academy@Hays. She selected the team of students who would come to write and illustrate Wiley's Way, and guided them from beginning to end.

Teachers Megan Milholland is the English teacher at the Academy@Hays. She supervised the development of the book every step of the way.

Michelle Detorie, a poet, is a graduate of the MFA Program at Texas State University, where she held the Rose Fellowship.

Alexandra Landeros, a fiction writer, is a graduate of the MFA Program at Texas State University, where she has won several scholarships for academic excellence.

Narrative Consultant/College Advisor David Rice has published two volumes of short stories and works in the Rio Grande Valley as an educator dedicated to getting children into college.

Project Director - Lynn Denton directed the College for Texans Campaign, with the goal of getting 300,000 more people to college. In addition to hatching the idea for the book and music, she did the work on contracts, funding, reports and such.