Dustin Galofaro is new to Athens County and comes to Sam's Gym in Glouster, Ohio, to practice his fighting techniques and also to be a part of the tight-knit community the gym provides. 

After a restful winter break, I began the second semester of my junior year at Ohio University and haven't really had a chance to look back since. Though busy, it's been a wonderfully productive semester. 

I spent a lot of time this semester working on portraits and multimedia. I created a short documentary film for my Advanced Video class and two portrait series, one each for my Small Systems Lighting and black-and-white film photography courses. I really enjoyed the creative freedom allowed by my professors to find and peruse stories and concepts I found interesting for all my projects. The image above and the five that follow below are images from the portrait series about fighters at Sam's Gym I created for my final project in my Small Systems Lighting class.

Sam's Gym is a community boxing gym located in Glouster, Ohio. People from all walks and stages of life come to a gym for many reasons. Many simply enjoy the sport of it, others come to learn how to defend themselves, and others keep returning to stay in shape. Run by owner Sam Jones, the gym acts as a community center in the former mining town of Glouster. Jones keeps the gym operating mainly from his own funds and also with the help of donations from fighters and the community. Jones has deeply invested himself in all those that train at his gym. People stay in touch with Sam long after they've moved far away from the gym. Some will even call Sam on Father's day, as he acts much like a father to a few of the fighters. 

Below the portrait series is a few images I made while covering the rowdy street festivals in Athens for the student newspaper. Fests are serious business in Athens, and they draw in college students from around the region to Athens to live up their college years. 

All the other images are either from my classes, The Post, or simply what I had free time to photograph.

Junior year has tested my resolve multiple times and really put me in a bind at times. Despite this, I am so thankful for this past year I spent at Ohio University and I look forward to one last year to finish out my degree.

Fighters come from all over the region - even outside of Ohio and it's neighboring states -  to train with Sam Jones for a variety of reasons. Jones urges all of his fighters to be "champions in life", to be the best they can be in and outside of the ring.

James Robinson has earned a national lightweight title in Columbus, Ohio, as a result of his training at the gym. A member of the Glouster Police Department, he continues his training in hopes of becoming a member of the S.W.A.T. team.

James Robinson (father of James above) is one of the trainers at the gym. A fighter himself, he has spent many years with Sam Jones working with the array of people that are drawn to the gym.

Justin "Peanut" Sayers, 11, comes to the gym every week to practice his fighting skills. A few years ago, Sayers returned home from school with bruises he received from a bully, and his mother abruptly removed him from public schooling. Now homeschooled, Sayers hones his boxing skills at Sam's Gym in Glouster, Ohio, to protect himself from any physical encounters in the future.

Michael Hansard is a student at Hocking College and has recently started training at the gym to prepare for his first fight. Sam Jones explains that the gym is a powerful outlet for the youth in the area. Jones checks in with his younger fighters to ensure that they're staying up with their school work and maintaining an upstanding behavior. 

Chase Stephenson, top left, parties atop a tree as other Palmer Fest partygoers help an intoxicated girl off the tree. The annual street festival took place on Palmer Street in Athens, Ohio, on Saturday, March 28, 2015.

Sean Plagens, dressed as simply "America", falls to the ground laughing with his friends. The annual street festival took place on Palmer Street in Athens, Ohio, on Saturday, March 28, 2015.

Ohio University senior, Connor Spies, right, drinks from his water bottle as partygoers try to tie up a tarp to cover the porch of a Milliron Street residence as other people party below. Rain fell consistently during Milliron Fest in Athens, Ohio, on Friday, March 13, 2015.

Police officers shut down a party at 18 Palmer St. The annual street festival took place on Palmer Street in Athens, Ohio, on Saturday, March 28, 2015.

Ohio University junior redshirt forward Treg Setty blocks a shot by University of Toledo sophomore center Zach Garber during the second half of play. The Bobcats fell to the Rockets 80-73 in the Convocation Center in Athens, Ohio, on Wednesday, January 14, 2015.

Ohio University sophomore guard Quiera Lampkins goes up for a layup against Northern Illinois University freshman guard Kelly Smith. The Bobcats defeated the Huskies 67-40 at the Convocation Center in Athens, Ohio, on Wednesday, January 21, 2015.

Ohio University redshirt junior guard Mariah Harris cheers after a scoring shot by the Bobcats with her fellow teammates on the bench. 

Though required for some courses at Ohio University, classroom participation creates anxiety for some students and leaves them feeling overwhelmed. (Photo Illustration)

Veronica Borja holds a photograph of her father Ralph Borja, a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army, in Jefferson Hall in Athens, Ohio, on Tuesday, April 21, 2015. Borja has lived in over ten different locations in her lifetime, including Vicenza, Italy, due to her father's military service.

Ohio University redshirt freshman Greg Moray high-fives children as he makes his way into the convo. The Bobcats defeated the Panthers 20-18 at the Convocation Center in Athens, Ohio, on Friday, February 6, 2015. 

Ohio University redshirt junior Spartak Chino looks up while being held down by University of Northern Iowa junior Jarrett Jensen.

Ohio University junior Kagan Squire celebrates his 6-0 victory over Northern Iowa University redshirt freshman Leighton Gaul. 

Tasha Seiter hoops using her light-up hula hoop in Athens, Ohio. Seiter and her sister picked up hula-hooping several years ago and the pair made it past the preliminary audition process in America's Got Talent in 2012. 

Dakota Mash, an employee, sits inside the garage of Cullison Scrap Metal with compressed cubes of crushed cans behind him on Wednesday, February 11, 2015. Cullison Scrap Metal, located just outside of Athens, Ohio, generates most of its business through buying aluminum cans, crushing them down, and then reselling them in bulk as scrap metal.

Robin Hecker wears her hobo clown attire in Athens, Ohio, on February 9, 2015. Hecker's father is a clown, and she along with her five siblings dress up with him on occasion to help him with parties and other clown-related gigs. 

Ohio University redshirt senior catcher Kyle Dean slides to beat the tag at third base. The Bobcats defeated the Broncos 7-5 on Saturday, March 28, 2015, in Athens, Ohio. 

Ohio University sophomore outfielder Mitch Longo, left, high-fives redshirt senior catcher Kyle Dean, right, to congratulate him on scoring.

Rick Crooks, a blind artist, cuts a metal pipe in his metal-sculpture workshop in Crooksville, Ohio, on Sunday, March 29, 2015. Crooks creates metal animal sculptures from repurposed equipment and tools and has created over 1,200 pieces of folk art. At the age of sixteen, Crooks lost his eyesight entirely in a gun accident. Crooks creates his sculptures by and large by himself, but also employs his stepson when he requires assistance.

Rick Crooks holds a dragonfly sculpture with other pieces he has created in his metal-sculpture workshop.

Elephant seals confront one another on a beach near San Simeon, Calif, on Thursday, January 1, 2015. 

Bob Placier examines a woodpecker he recently captured in one of his bird nets before bagging it and taking it inside his home near Albany, Ohio, on Sunday, March 29, 2015, as another bird remains tangled in the net. Placier is a licensed bird-bander and captures birds to record their physical data. He then gives the data to the United States government to ensure Southeastern Ohio's bird populations are conserved.

Two squirrels hang on a tree in College Green in Athens, Ohio, on Sunday, April 5, 2015. (Both this and the following image were taken for an article about the history of squirrels on Ohio University's campus)

A squirrel buries its face in Wendy's dipping sauce in College Green in Athens, Ohio, on Sunday, April 5, 2015. 

Dylan Stiner, left, and Will Lammers, center, clean themselves off after being pied in the face. Members of Pi Kappa Phi stood in front of the courthouse on Court Street in Athens, Ohio, on Saturday, November 8, 2014, taking pies to the face for a one-dollar donation to The Ability Experience, a children-based organization. 

Fall semester has come to a close. It's beginning to sink in that I only have three semesters left at Ohio University. During the second half of the fall semester, I spent the majority of my time working on multimedia projects for my multimedia and applied anthropology classes. When I had some free time, I continued taking assignments from The Post. 

This semester also marked my first formal multimedia class. Though I had learned Final Cut while working on previous video assignments, it was valuable to really learn shortcuts and quick fixes to streamline my video workflow. I also learned more about video story arc, and I'm excited to keep focusing on multimedia next semester in advanced multimedia class. 

On December 23, I'll be heading to California to meet up with my four older sisters who live throughout the United States. I cannot wait to get some time away from school and spend some quality time with my family, whom I so rarely get to see (and also take some time to take pictures for myself, and not assignments).

Ohio University forward Nathan De La Torre passes the puck while defended by Lindenwood University freshman defender Graham Zagrodney. The Bobcats defeated the Lions 3-1 on Saturday, November 15, 2014, at Bird Arena in Athens, Ohio.

Ohio University forward Joe Breslin celebrates his goal, the second goal of the night for the Bobcats.

Ohio University freshman running back A.J. Ouellette drives upfield as Northern Illinois sophomore linebacker Sean Folliard, right, and other visiting players attempt to tackle him. The Huskies defeated the Bobcats 21-14 in Peden Stadium in Athens, Ohio, on Tuesday, November 18, 2014.

Ohio University freshman running back A.J. Ouellette high-fives fans while sophomore tight end Troy Mangen congratulates him after Ouellette scored the second touchdown of the game for the Bobcats.

Ohio University guard junior Kiyanna Black drives towards the basket while defended by Detroit University guard redshirt sophomore Rosanna Reynolds. The Bobcats defeated the Titans 60-57 on Thursday, November 20, 2014, at the Convocation Center in Athens, Ohio.

Ohio University guard junior Kiyanna Black pulls up for a layup against Detroit University guard freshman Darianne Seward.

Yuka Kennedy, owner of Uptown Tailoring, works on a pair of pants in her shop located at 18 N. College St. Room #4 in Athens, Ohio, on Thursday, December 4, 2014.

Spools of multi-colored thread sit in Uptown Tailoring.

Yuka Kennedy, owner of Uptown Tailoring, uses her sewing machine to work on a pair of pants in her shop.

Will Lammers, left, is struck with a pie by Michael Mott. Members of Pi Kappa Phi stood in front of the courthouse on Court Street in Athens, Ohio, on Saturday, November 8, 2014, taking pies to the face for a one-dollar donation to The Ability Experience, a children-based organization. 

Ethan Levingston, 13, center, models a ballon hat made by Timothy Green of North Myrtle Beach S.C., bottom right, as he takes a photograph with his phone to admire his creation during the Pawpaw Festival held at Lake Snowden near Albany, Ohio, on Saturday, September 13, 2014. Green, a volunteer at the festival, explained that he has been trying to attend the festival for several years just to try a pawpaw in Ohio and to experience the festival. 

Summer's come to an end, and now I'm back in Athens, Ohio, in the midst of my junior year at Ohio University. Since getting back, I have kept myself busy with a multimedia class, working for The Post, applying for summer internships, singing with the Singing Men of Ohio, and a few other general classes. I apologize for not posting anything in quite a while, this year hasn't afforded me much of a break to look back at what I've accomplished over the last two months. 

The first four images are from the annual Pawpaw Festival held in Albany, Ohio, which I also wrote a story about for my magazine feature writing class. The last few portraits are from the HallOUween block party in Athens, Ohio. In between are images from assignments I've taken for the post while not working on audio and video pieces for my multimedia class. 

Tencha Schafrath of Wooster, Ohio, cleans a pawpaw seed using only her mouth during the pawpaw eating contest at the Pawpaw Festival held at Lake Snowden near Albany, Ohio, on Saturday, September 13, 2014.

John Gradwohl Jr., also known as Professor Phineas T. Bubblemaker, creates many large bubbles for children to play with during his show at the Pawpaw Festival.

Nora Martin, 6, left, of Cincinnati, Ohio, enjoys popping numerous large bubbles created by John Gradwohl Jr., also known as Professor Phineas T. Bubblemaker, during his show.

Henry Boachi, left, a graduate student from Ghana, makes a funny face for Annika Braimah, 7 months, as she is held by her mother Shannon Braimah at the International Student Picnic held at Richland Avenue Park in Athens, Ohio, on Saturday, August 23, 2014.

Lori Smith, left, of Parkersburg, WV, high-fives professional skateboarder Tony Hawk, right, before he skates at Athens Skatepark on Sunday, August 24, 2014, as part of the Birdhouse on the Road Summer Tour. 

Professional skateboarder Tony Hawk performs a grab trick as he flips in the air in front of a crowd during a skate demo at Athens Skatepark on Sunday, August 24, 2014.

Members of the Ohio University women's cross country team cheer and get pumped up before running at their home cross country meet at the Ohio University golf course on Friday, September 5, 2014.  

Ohio University junior Kurt Steinmuller, left, and junior Andrew Miller, right, lead the pack during their home cross country meet at the Ohio University golf course on Friday, September 5, 2014. 

Players watch as the Bobcats score their second goal of the day on a kick by Ohio University midfielder redshirt sophomore Carly Manso. The Bobcats defeated the Colonels 2-0 at Chessa Field on Sunday, September 7, 2014.

Eastern Kentucky University midfielder junior Merrissa Vault, right, slides to take the ball from Ohio University midfielder redshirt sophomore Carly Manso.

Kent State University midfielder junior Madison Helterbran jumps in the air as she celebrates her winning goal in overtime with her fellow teammates as Ohio University players collapse behind her. The Golden Flashes defeated the Bobcats 3-2 in overtime to bring Ohio University's season to a close at Chessa Field in Athens, Ohio, on Thursday, October 30, 2014. 

Ohio University freshman Grant Engel of Pittsburgh, Pa, stands for a portrait on the golf course at the country club just outside of Athens, Ohio, on Thursday, September 18, 2014.

Ohio University freshman Elena Curley runs the ball upfield while guarded by Louisville University senior Mallory Mason. The Cardinals defeated the Bobcats 2-0 in Athens, Ohio, on Tuesday, October 21, 2014.

Ohio University sophomore Hannah Kingsbury dives to keep the ball in bounds. 

City councilman and Ohio University Ultimate Frisbee coach Kent Butler stands for a portrait on College Green in Athens, Ohio, on Friday, September 26, 2014.

Cars sit under US 33 on East State Street as other cars speed by at the interchange between the two roads in Athens, Ohio, on Tuesday, October 28, 2014. 

(From left to right) Connor Loughran, Alex Rose and Bennet Morgan, all University of Cincinnati students, pose while dressed as Ghost Busters in Athens, Ohio, on Saturday, October 25, 2014, during the annual HallOUween block party.

Griffin Ratcliffe, dressed as money from the Geico commercial.

Adam Cordea, of Walsh University, poses for a portrait dressed as his Tinder profile.

Jason Tingley, left, and Rachel Bertrand, right, throw Pokeballs while dressed as Ash and Misty from the Pokemon series.