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Josh was abused as a young child, leaving him feeling broken, lost, and alone. Boys Town gave Josh the love and encouragement he needed to release the anger and confusion that was keeping him from finding happiness. Josh has gone on to become the mayor of Boys Town, the captain of the track and field team, and president of the Boys Town student council. In his spare time, he works with juvenile justice to share his story in hopes that other kids who have experienced abuse can find happiness too.

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​Josh: He said if I said another word, he was gonna kill me.

Josh: Before Boys Town, I was lost. I was confused. I was angry at the world, at God. I didn't want to live.

Jason: Boys Town is a place where kids can come and know that they are in a safe environment with adults that care about them. And it's a place where we're gonna take care of you and we're gonna help you find success so that you ultimately achieve what everybody is looking for and that's to be just be happy in life.

Josh: It was usually Jason that was there encouraging me to keep going when I felt like not going at all. The days I didn't walk, he carried me. He really did and I will always be grateful to him for that.

I just took it one step at a time, one day at a time. And those days turned into weeks, those weeks into months and it just all accumulated into a forward momentum that just kept me going on the right path.

I'm involved in quite a lot, I'm the mayor, so I have a lotta responsibilities with that. I am a peer minister, so I guide others in their faith aspects of Boys Town. I'm also captain of the cross-country team, I also run track, I'm also the president of the student council.

I also do a lot in the community with juvenile justice reform, constantly working with Voices for Children, going to the capitol, speaking the legislature about bills that are going to help better young kids so they don't have to go through the same things that me and my peers have gone through.

I wish there were more places like Boys Town. I would have never accomplished any of that back home. Boys Town just overall they gave me a second chance at life.​