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Missouri on Mic is an oral history and audio journalism project collecting stories from Missouri in its 200th year (2021) and beyond. New episodes air every Monday at 8:45 AM during Morning Edition and 4:45 PM during All Things Considered.A team of Missouri School of Journalism students asked Missourians to tell their stories at bicentennial festivals and events throughout the state at the Missouri on Mic traveling audio booth. The collection of stories will be archived at the State Historical Society of Missouri as part of Missouri’s 200th anniversary of Statehood.Partners in this project include the State Historical Society of Missouri (SHSMO) and True False Film Fest. Missouri Humanities and the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) provided support for the series, and the Burney Sisters provided music for the project. You can follow the Burney Sisters on https://www.facebook.com/TheBurneySisters or learn more at https://theburneysisters.com.To learn more about the story behind this collaborative project and how to produce something similar in your community, check out our Tool Box website here.

Frank Finley, Diane Lurkins and Sasha Goodnow: "Being outside gives me so much hope for my future."

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Becca Newton
/
KBIA

Missouri On Mic first unveiled its traveling audio booth during the 2021 True/False film festival.

We heard a wide variety of stories that weekend, but we heard a lot of participants talk about our state’s landscape -- our parks, our trails, our forest, and we wanted to share a few of those conversations with you.

We’ll be hearing from friends Diane Lurkins and Sasha Goodnow about some of their favorite outdoor spots in Missouri, but first, we’ll hear from retired producer Frank Finley about what he says the Show Me State’s picturesque scenery means to him.

Missouri on Mic is an oral history and journalism project documenting stories from around the state in its 200th year.

Frank Finley: The thing about the state that I’ve really noticed is just the geography is so pretty. You know, you go to different corners of the state, you’ll have a completely different look or feel of for the topography.

I remember when I was going to school in California, people would talk about Missouri, and I said, "It's really not that bad. You don't just need to fly over it."

I remember, one of my classmates who lived in California said his family took a driving trip through Missouri once and he just said, "It's just so green. There's just so much green here," and that was what impressed him.

So, I, you know, I would tell people, "There's a lot of great scenery. If you love to go on float trips, it's always a favorite thing to do. And there's lots of great parks things to see.

"After work, you can just go to a trail, you can go in the woods, and I think that's worth celebrating because I've lived in other states where you can't escape."
Diane Lurkins

Diane Lurkins: So, I moved here, I guess it's 15 years ago, and had visited since my sister had lived in St. Louis, but didn't realize how much outdoors there is here.

I come alive in the outdoors, and just even in the St. Louis area, there are tons of places to go hiking.

After work, you can just go to a trail, you can go in the woods, and I think that's worth celebrating because I've lived in other states where you can't escape.

And it's wonderful in Missouri because you can get to the outdoors and be quiet very conveniently.

Sasha Goodnow: Yeah, I think of float trips and hiking. Gosh, Rock Bridge State Park for sure, wWhich you and I have been there Diane.

Diane Lurkins: Yes.

Sasha Goodnow: It's just really diverse, and it's been protected by the state, and it's huge. I feel like Diane and her son Travis like they are a family that loves to hike and they kind of taught me that. So, that's what we like to do together I feel like.

Diane Lurkins: Yes. Another place I love is the Katy Trail. Love getting on the Katy Trail and stopping off at different places. More towards – I live in St. Louis, so in the St. Louis area, there's wineries that you can go to and it's fun.

Sasha Goodnow: Being outside gives me so much hope for my future. I've loved being in nature, and so I just hope that that continues to be the forefront of what's going on with Missouri and what makes Missouri so special.

he outdoors that we still protect and you know, keep pristine. There's a lot of people that are passionate about that and I'm really grateful for that.

Trevor Hook is a reporter, producer and morning anchor for KBIA 91.3 born and raised in New Franklin, Missouri. He graduated from the University of Missouri with both a Master's degree in Audio Journalism in 2020 and a Bachelor's degree in Convergence Journalism in 2018.