Theo Peck-Suzuki is a journalist from Appalachian Ohio.

BLUE ROCK, Ohio (WOUB/Report for America) — Kaleb Wilkins grew up around kids whose dream was to escape Appalachia.

“Kids that I went to school with, everybody wanted to grow up and get out of here. Like, there’s nothing here, why are we gonna stay here? You can’t make any money doing anything,” he recalled.

Members of Wilkins’ family have lived in Blue Rock for generations. Between them, they own almost 2

MARIETTA, Ohio — As an Army kid, Gene saw a lot of America.

He estimates he and his family moved to 15 different bases while he was growing up. His favorite was a naval base in New York where he could see the submarines docked.

MCCONNELSVILLE, Ohio (WOUB/Report for America) — For Aaron Dulaney, it was the perfect validation.

The Morgan High School teacher spent three years volunteering after hours with a group of students who wanted to participate in Ohio’s burgeoning school esports scene. This year, the district agreed to make him a paid coach.

“Just like a football coach, just like a baseball coach,” Dulaney said. “That was a huge thing for

BEVERLY, Ohio (WOUB/Report for America) — When Pam Bennett was a student at Fort Frye High School, one of the big events each year was the senior citizen prom.

Students and community members prepared food and music. They decorated the gym just like they would for any other high school dance. And then, the senior citizens of Fort Frye would come to dance and play games with their younger counterparts.

The supply of housing is desperately short of the need, driving up costs and leaving many in southeast Ohio priced out.

This series looks at why housing is in such short supply, why building new homes is so challenging, and what the fallout is for communities in the region.

Children Services took a mother's kids after her teenage son reported her.

Much of what he said was never proven. But that didn't seem to matter.