Zook quadruplets The Zook quads (l-r), Primmer, Malena, John, and Lucia, graduated from Carroll Jr.-Sr. High School May 23. Photo provided From the day their quadruplets were born, Sam and Jane Zook have kept them out of the limelight.

"We wanted them to be thought of as individuals, not as a group," Jane said.

The community has always been interested in them, but has respected their individuality and privacy," added Sam.

The four quads - John, Lucia, Malena, and Primmer - are 18 now and just graduated from high school last Saturday. Although the Zooks would not point this out themselves, their children are the first quads to graduate from Carroll Jr.-Sr. High School.

Since the kids are all grown up and about to go their separate ways, Mom and Dad are a little more willing now to tell what it's been like to raise four children the same age.

When the Zooks think back to all the stages of raising their quads, from babies to young adults, they said no stage was any harder, or any easier, than the rest.

"They were just different," Jane said.

The two boys and two girls entered the world on Feb. 12, 1991.

"They were born a month to the day, before the ice storm," Sam said.

This could have been quite a challenge, since the power was out for a week, but luckily the Zooks had a generator.

"Jane kept a notebook to keep track of when the kids needed changed and fed," Sam recalls.

The Zooks are thankful for all the help they had during the first year.

They said their older son, Jordan, was a big help. He was 10 when his siblings were born.

For six months, Jane's mother, Virginia Bush Simison, made sure the parents got some sleep at night.

"She came from midnight till 6 a.m.," Sam said. "She was also school nurse at the time. She came home from school and slept till midnight."

From the start, Jane chose to not dress the quads alike.

The only exception, she said, was once when they were little, their great-grandmother bought them matching outfits to have their pictures taken.

Having four children the same age necessitated four cribs, four car seats, two double strollers, and a mini van.

How the years sped by. From the father's perspective, Sam said it started with four pairs of shoes, then braces, cell phones, cars, and now college.

"The tooth fairy was busy at our house," Jane said, "and there were lots of visits to the orthodontist."

"We tried to foster sharing at an early age," Jane said.

Sometimes the kids took that too far. They all had chicken pox at the same time.

The children had a chore chart when they were young and still had one in high school. Whether it was taking care of the trash, recycling, chicken, cats, or kitchen duties, they all had to do their share.

Jane said they've also had a weekly activities schedule. Each child has been expected to list his or her activities for the week. If two children were in different sports events the same night, Mom went to one and Dad went to the other.

Growing up on a farm (near Flora) led all four to become active in FFA.

"They're also all 10-year 4-H members," Sam said.

John worked for Orem Farms during high school. He's going to attend Ivy Tech and major in Ag business management, as well as work on his family's farm. He has already started his own business endeavor, raising and selling show pigs, and he said he will continue to do that.

Lucy played softball and basketball in high school, and she likes reading and cake decorating. She plans to go to college, but at this point has not settled on which one.

Malena said she has enjoyed FFA activities, and she has a special interest in technology. She has helped her dad in his web design business. Other high school activities were being on the golf team four years and serving as statistician for the girls' basketball team. Malena was one of Carroll's five valedictorians this year. She's going to major in informatics at Indiana University, Bloomington.

Primmer played football, basketball, and three years of baseball. He earns extra money by mowing lawns. He plans to major in physical therapy at Indiana University/ Purdue University, Indianapolis.

The four say that being quads has had its advantages and disadvantages.

"We've learned to share and have patience," Malena said.

"And we've learned to compromise," Lucy added.

Those traits were tested when they used to have just one bathroom for the four of them.

"We had to have a shower schedule," Malena said.

Up until a couple of months ago she and Lucy shared a room. Now each has a room, and there's a second bathroom for the girls.

Lucy said she thinks sharing a room all those years will help her when she has a roommate in college.

As freshmen, they all had to share a cell phone. Sam said the phone's main purpose was so the kids could call home after sports events. More cell phones were needed as the kids got jobs and started driving.

"Primmer said as a quad, no one can get away with anything.

"Someone always tells," he said.

He also thinks it will be quieter when he goes away to college.

John said he didn't like being compared to his three siblings. They all agreed that's something they won't miss.

The parents and the kids said having four in the same grade had its advantages. They could help each other with homework and share a book if someone forgot to bring one home.

Jane said it's not unusual for all of them to go out together with a group of their friends.

Soon they'll be separated for the first time in 18 years.

"It'll be different," Malena said.