Talent isn't the problem for rural students. Access is | Kirsten Lane Oct 1, 2026 12 hrs ago 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Kirsten Lane Submitted kAmpD 9:89 D49@@= D6?:@CD 862C FA 7@C E96 9FDE=6 2?5 8C:?5 @7 E96 4@==686 25>:DD:@?D AC@46DD[ E96 6IA6C:6?46 42? 36 5:776C6?E 7@C DEF56?ED :? CFC2= 2?5 FC32? 2C62]k^AmkAm(96? x H2D 2446AE65 E@ '2?56C3:=E &?:G6CD:EJ :? a_ab[ 25>:?:DEC2E@CD :? >J CFC2= r6?E6CG:==6[ %6??6DD66[ 9:89 D49@@= H6C6 D9@4<65i p 8:C= 7C@> @FC 5:DEC:4E 925 ?@E 366? 25>:EE65 :? @G6C ad J62CD]k^AmkAm%96 BF2:?E E@H? 92D @?=J @?6 9:89 D49@@=[ 3FE :E 3@C56CD @?6 @7 E96 ?2E:@?’D H62=E9:6DE 4@F?E:6D[ (:==:2>D@? r@F?EJ] r6?E6CG:==6[ H96C6 x 8C6H FA[ :D ;FDE 2 =:EE=6 =6DD E92? 2? 9@FC D@FE9H6DE @7 }2D9G:==6[ H96C6 '2?56C3:=E[ @?6 @7 E96 %@A `_ D49@@=D :? E96 4@F?ECJ[ :D =@42E65]k^Am The Duck River flows through rural Centerville, Tennessee, where students lack the resources of their suburban and urban peers. Nicole Hester / The Tennessean kAm$9@4< D9@F=5 ?@E 36 E96 5672F=E C624E:@? H96? 2 DEF56?E 7C@> 2 CFC2= D49@@= DF44665D]k^Am People are also reading… Boones Mill obtains grant for new park project Federal grant to fund Route 122 improvement study at Smith Mountain Lake Trump to begin sending $500 ACA refund checks. Here's where they're going Franklin County administrator to step down Diamond Avenue community pushes for solutions to decades-long problems Virginia Tech releases study on 2023 harmful algal blooms at SML Judge Michael Urbanski to retire after long tenure on the federal bench What to know as Smith Mountain Lake Wine Festival returns this weekend Ballot uncontested in Rocky Mount mayor, council races Vinton man gets 14 years for child pornography collection of more than 100 victims Rocky Mount asks residents to voluntarily conserve water Diamond Avenue community pushes for solutions to decades-long problems Local immigration arrests, like ones in Franklin County, allowed to continue Hokies' Flowers: Luke Reynolds 'the best tight end in the nation' NAACP luncheon to honor storied Franklin County native kAm(9:=6 r6?E6CG:==6 :D :? 4=@D6 AC@I:>:EJ E@ '2?56C3:=E[ E96 @AA@CEF?:E:6D @776C65 E@ DEF56?ED 5@?’E DE24< FA E@ E9@D6 :? 36EE6C\C6D@FC465 A=246D] xEVD ?@E 2>3:E:@? E92E :D 9@=5:?8 E96> 324<] k^AmkAm#FC2= D49@@=D 2C6 @7E6? EC62E65 2D 2 3C665:?8 8C@F?5 7@C 3=F6\4@==2C H@C<6CD] x 92G6 :>>6?D6 C6DA64E 7@C E9@D6 :? E96 H@C<7@C46[ 3FE x 7:?5 :E F?72:C E92E DEF56?ED =:<6 E9@D6 :? >J 9:89 D49@@= 2C6 AC6DDFC65 :?E@ 2 A2E9 E92E 766=D 49@D6? 7@C E96> @? E96 >6C6 32D:D E92E E96J H6C6 C2:D65 :? 2 CFC2= 4@F?EJ]k^Am k2D:56 4=2DDlQE?4>D\:?=:?6\C6=4@?E6?EQmk^2D:56m kAm%9:D DE2CED H:E9 2 =24< @7 2446DD E@ 4@==686 C625:?6DD 2?5 E6DE AC6A AC@8C2>D] u@C 6I2>A=6[ >@DE @7 >J A66CD 2E '2?56C3:=E E@@< :?\A6CD@? 25G2?465 A=246>6?E 4@FCD6D H9:=6 E96J H6C6 :? 9:89 D49@@= E@ AC6A2C6 7@C E96 C:8@C @7 2? 24256>:42==J 492==6?8:?8 F?:G6CD:EJ] qFE >J 9:89 D49@@= 5:5?’E @776C E96>] k^Am kAm%96 DE2E6 @7 %6??6DD66 :?46?E:G:K65 >J 5:DEC:4E E@ C646:G6 Sd[___ A6C DEF56?E 6?C@==65 :? 42C66C E649?:42= 65F42E:@?] %9:D 2==@42E:@? 2AA=:6D E@ 6G6CJ 5:DEC:4E :? E96 DE2E6[ 3FE E92E >@?6J 8@6D >F49 7FCE96C 7@C 2 CFC2= D49@@= H:E9 =:EE=6 =@42= C6G6?F6 2?5 @E96C 7F?5:?8 D@FC46D E@ =62? @?[ =625:?8 D49@@=D E@ AC:@C:E:K6 E96D6 AC@8C2>D @G6C 4@==686 C625:?6DD @AA@CEF?:E:6D]k^Am kAm}@E9:?8 :D HC@?8 H:E9 AC6A2C:?8 7@C E96 H@C<7@C46] |2?J 7:?5 :E 6>A@H6C:?8 E92E E649?:42= AC@8C2>D 2==@H CFC2= DEF56?ED E@ DE2CE H@C<:?8 27E6C 8C25F2E:@?] %96 AC@3=6> :D E92E E96 :?E6?D6 AFD9 @7 H@C<7@C46 C625:?6DD @?E@ CFC2= DEF56?ED 9:?56CD E96:C 23:=:EJ E@ DF44665 :? A2E9D @FED:56 E96 “C62=:DE:4” @AE:@? @7 3=F6\4@==2C H@C<] k^AmkAm(:E9@FE 2 AC6DE:8:@FD 9:89 D49@@= E@ C6=J @? E9C@F89@FE E96 4@==686 25>:DD:@?D AC@46DD[ x 76=E AC6DDFC6 2D 2 CFC2= DEF56?E E@ AC@G6 >JD6=7 E@ 25>:DD:@?D @77:46CD] #65F465 2446DD E@ C6D@FC46D =625D E@ 2DDF>AE:@?D 23@FE @FC 23:=:E:6D E92E H6 92G6 E@ H@C< E@ 3C62< 2H2J 7C@> :? 4@==686 2AA=:42E:@?D] qFE 6G6? CFC2= DEF56?ED H9@ 5@ >2?286 E@ AC@G6 E96>D6=G6D E@ 6=:E6 F?:G6CD:EJ 25>:DD:@?D @77:46CD DE:== 7246 9FC5=6D]k^Am kAm#FC2= DEF56?ED >2J ?@E 92G6 366? 6IA@D65 E@ H92E uC6?49 E96@C:DE !:6CC6 q@FC5:6F 42==D 4F=EFC2= 42A:E2=[ ?@?\7:?2?4:2= 2DD6ED =:<6 A6CD@?2= <?@H=6586[ D<:==D 2?5 E2DE6D E92E :?7=F6?46 D@4:2= >@3:=:EJ] p DEF56?E 7C@> 2? 6=:E6 9:89 D49@@= >2J =62C? E96 :>A@CE2?46 @7 =6256CD9:A[ 4C:E:42= E9:?<:?8 2?5 ?6EH@C<:?8] |62?H9:=6[ 2? F?56C7F?565 9:89 D49@@= =:<6 >:?6 @7E6? E62496D 2 4FCC:4F=F> 7@4FD65 @? 7@==@H:?8 DE6A\3J\DE6A :?DECF4E:@?D 2?5 @C56C]k^Am kAm%9:D >62?D E92E >J A66CD 2?5 x H6C6 AC6AA65 7@C E96 H@C<7@C46 367@C6 H6 6G6C C62=:K65 :E]k^Am kAmx?G6DE:?8 :? CFC2= D49@@=D :D 6DD6?E:2= E@ 249:6G:?8 2 H@C=5 H96C6 @AA@CEF?:E:6D 2C6 2446DD:3=6 7@C 6G6CJ@?6] #FC2= D49@@=D :? %6??6DD66 92G6 @?6 @7 E96 =@H6DE =6G6=D @7 DA6?5:?8 :? E96 &]$] !C@A6C 7F?5:?8 D9@F=5 36 6BF2==J 5:DEC:3FE65 24C@DD DE2E6D 2?5 2==@42E65 7@C 4@==686 C625:?6DD AC@8C2>D[ DF49 2D p! 2?5 x?E6C?2E:@?2= q2442=2FC62E6 4=2DD6D]k^Am kAm$EF56?ED ?665 C6D@FC46D 2?5 7F?5:?8 E@ 86E E@ C6DA64E23=6 EC256 D49@@=D[ =@42= DE2E6 F?:G6CD:E:6D 2?5 4@>>F?:EJ 4@==686D] qFE D@>6@?6 H9@ 5C62>D @7 D@>6E9:?8 5:776C6?E 2=D@ 56D6CG6D E@ 92G6 2 492?46 2E 7F=7:==:?8 E96:C 5C62>]k^Am kAm%96 D6=64E:@? 2?5 6IA6CE:D6 @7 CFC2= 9:89 D49@@= 4@F?D6=@CD 2=D@ ?665D :>AC@G6>6?E] |2?J D49@@= 4@F?D6=@CD 2C6 DEC6E4965 E9:?[ 2?5 :E :D :>A@CE2?E E96J 86E AC@A6C EC2:?:?8 E@ 96=A DEF56?ED E9C@F89 E96 4@==686 2AA=:42E:@? AC@46DD] u24F=EJ D9@F=5 =:7E DEF56?ED FA 2D E96J DEC:G6 E@ AFCDF6 E96:C 8@2=D C2E96C E92? AC6DDFC6 E96> :?E@ 36:?8 >@C6 “C62=:DE:4[” D@>6E9:?8 x H2D E@=5 >2?J E:>6D 2D 2 9:89 D49@@=6C]k^AmkAm#FC2= DEF56?ED 5@?VE 5:776C >F49 7C@> DEF56?ED 7C@> DF3FC32? @C FC32? D49@@=D] %96 ECF6 5:776C6?46 =:6D :? E96:C D49@@=D’ =24< @7 7F?5:?8 2?5 C6D@FC46D[ 2?5 E9FD E96 @AA@CEF?:E:6D E96J >:89E 92G6 2446DD E@] x7 H6 H@C< E@ 4=@D6 E96D6 82AD[ E96? @?6 52J :E >:89E ?@E D66> D@ D9@4<:?8 H96? 2 8:C= 7C@> 2 D>2== E@H? 86ED :?E@ 96C 5C62> D49@@=]k^Am Lane is a junior at Vanderbilt University. She wrote this for the Nashville Tennessean and USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect. 0 comments Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Is our admiration for the Amish overlooking real harm? | The Ethical Life podcast 🎧 Behind an idealized image of simplicity and community are difficult questions about education, healthcare, gender roles, individual freedom… When everyday situations get awkward, what’s the ethical thing to do? | The Ethical Life podcast 🎧 Some ethical decisions arrive without warning. We revisit four dilemmas that ask what you would do when the right choice isn't immediately obvious. US needs a lot more than pandas in superpower stalemate with China | Craig Singleton When President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese leader Xi Jinping to the White House Sept. 24, the stagecraft was unmistakable: a state dinner, s… Why listening is a powerful tool for mental health | Michael Yates “Listening, really listening, is hard when potential distractions are leaping into your ears every fifty-thousandth of a second,” wrote Seth H… Congress should fix flawed Saudi nuclear deal | Bloomberg News The confusion surrounding a proposed civil nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia hasn’t exactly disappeared: The White House is still claiming it dep…
Is our admiration for the Amish overlooking real harm? | The Ethical Life podcast 🎧 Behind an idealized image of simplicity and community are difficult questions about education, healthcare, gender roles, individual freedom…
When everyday situations get awkward, what’s the ethical thing to do? | The Ethical Life podcast 🎧 Some ethical decisions arrive without warning. We revisit four dilemmas that ask what you would do when the right choice isn't immediately obvious.
US needs a lot more than pandas in superpower stalemate with China | Craig Singleton When President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese leader Xi Jinping to the White House Sept. 24, the stagecraft was unmistakable: a state dinner, s…
Why listening is a powerful tool for mental health | Michael Yates “Listening, really listening, is hard when potential distractions are leaping into your ears every fifty-thousandth of a second,” wrote Seth H…
Congress should fix flawed Saudi nuclear deal | Bloomberg News The confusion surrounding a proposed civil nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia hasn’t exactly disappeared: The White House is still claiming it dep…
