MOUNTAIN GROWN
A deep dive into life as a teen boy in Appalachia
Photo essay by Curren Sheldon
START HERE
"There is no one way to be a man – nor is there one way to be an Appalachian man. Our region contains multitudes, and perhaps in no way is that truer than in the type of men you will find here. "
Read a narrative on growing up male in Appalachia from Appalachian essayist Skylar Baker-Jordan
Appalachian Gen Z: Submit a "Day in the Life" video to the Rural Digital Youth Resiliency Project
for a chance to be featured in an upcoming documentary!
MEET THE TEENS
Deonta
Helvetia, West Virginia
A high school junior living in the Swiss village of Helvetia, West Virginia, with plans to join the Air Force.
Damion
Fairmont, West Virginia
A middle school teen from Fairmont, West Virginia, navigating life with his adoptive family.
Christian
Charleston, West Virginia
A student athlete at Capital High School in Charleston, West Virginia, with plans to become a first-generation college student.
Evan
Ripley, West Virginia
A high school senior from Ripley, West Virginia, with a passion for creating original comedy trap music on TikTok and YouTube.
Leo
Ripley, West Virginia
A transgender youth who has found community in Ripley, West Virginia, with the hopes of heading out-of-state for college.
Steve
Kermit, West Virginia
An LGBTQ+ teen from the coalfields of West Virginia, now studying music at Marshall University.
Travis
Nitro, West Virginia
A boxer from Nitro, West Virginia, who is the eldest child of 11 children to a baptist preacher.
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