More than a quarter of Missouri's population lives in rural areas. Many of the towns these people live in are beyond the point where our radio signal dies and are outside newspapers’ circulation areas.

‘My Life, My Town’ documents a slice of time in the lives of teenagers from small Missouri towns. These are the youth who make up the hope and future of rural life – if they decide to stay. Our hope is that getting to know the children these villages raise will provide a unique look at the day-to-day joys and struggles of rural life.

‘My Life, My Town’ is a collaboration by producers at KBIA and photographers and photo editors at the Columbia Missourian.

Finding Challenges in Ashland

Jared Thomassen – Ashland, Missouri – 2012

Produced by Erin Dismeier and Naveen Mahadevan

Jared Thomassen is a junior in Ashland always looking for new goals to achieve. He is an avid long distance runner and placed second in the Duathlon at the last Show Me State Games. If that wasn’t enough, Jared takes on music as well. He’s been in band since elementary school and is a part of Southern Boone County High School’s competitive marching band.

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