• Just a Teen by Christina Gomez-Mira
• The 57th Missouri Photo Workshop | MPW.57

Ashley Gifford is a vivacious 13 year-old. Although her mother, Deborah Skaggs, describes her as the "wild child of the family," she is a cheerleader and constantly surrounded by friends. One wouldn't expect the complex family situation behind her playful and positive persona.

Ashley and her three sisters are being raised by their single mother. Her father has been in and out of prison since she was two. Monthly visits to the prison are reminders of her turbulent past.

In an already challenging phase of life, Ashley is seemingly well adjusted to handle anything that comes her way.