Talent isn't the problem for rural students. Access is | Kirsten Lane Oct 1, 2026 Oct 1, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky 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… J’s Pumpkin Patch reopens in support of local families; pays homage to late cofounder Lexington's Pepplitsch, Worthing earn trip to Class B state golf Lexington principal Barry McFarland wrote lyrics for UNK Color Song while a student at UNK Cozad rallies to support Ide through cancer treatment State Patrol investigating fatal wreck that may have involved missing juvenile, stolen car out of North Platte Trump to begin sending $500 ACA refund checks. Here's where they're going FOOTBALL: Gothenburg puts their foot on the gas, wins homecoming in shutout of Chase County Surging power demand pushes OPPD to plan for a bigger, more complex grid Tom Brady's aviation habits after his retirement from pro football How to watch Nebraska volleyball vs. Maryland: Time, TV and streaming info Lexington tennis goes 19-1 at East vs. West Shootout Another impressive night for Andi Jackson, another sweep for No. 1 Nebraska volleyball Rodriguez-Linares sentenced to 30-45 year in prison in shooting conviction Lexington tennis wins title at Kearney Catholic Invite Tuesday Wildcard gets Cozad softball Class C-3 District Final appearance kAm(9:=6 r6?E6CG:==6 :D :? 4=@D6 AC@I:>:EJ E@ '2?56C3:=E[ E96 @AA@CEF?:E:6D @776C65 E@ DEF56?ED 5@?’E DE24< FA E@ E9@D6 :? 36EE6C\C6D@FC465 A=246D] xEVD ?@E 2>3:E:@? E92E :D 9@=5:?8 E96> 324<] k^AmkAm#FC2= D49@@=D 2C6 @7E6? EC62E65 2D 2 3C665:?8 8C@F?5 7@C 3=F6\4@==2C H@C<6CD] x 92G6 :>>6?D6 C6DA64E 7@C E9@D6 :? 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CFC2= DEF56?ED H9@ 5@ >2?286 E@ AC@G6 E96>D6=G6D E@ 6=:E6 F?:G6CD:EJ 25>:DD:@?D @77:46CD DE:== 7246 9FC5=6D]k^Am kAm#FC2= DEF56?ED >2J ?@E 92G6 366? 6IA@D65 E@ H92E uC6?49 E96@C:DE !:6CC6 q@FC5:6F 42==D 4F=EFC2= 42A:E2=[ ?@?\7:?2?4:2= 2DD6ED =:<6 A6CD@?2= <?@H=6586[ D<:==D 2?5 E2DE6D E92E :?7=F6?46 D@4:2= >@3:=:EJ] p DEF56?E 7C@> 2? 6=:E6 9:89 D49@@= >2J =62C? E96 :>A@CE2?46 @7 =6256CD9:A[ 4C:E:42= E9:?<:?8 2?5 ?6EH@C<:?8] |62?H9:=6[ 2? F?56C7F?565 9:89 D49@@= =:<6 >:?6 @7E6? E62496D 2 4FCC:4F=F> 7@4FD65 @? 7@==@H:?8 DE6A\3J\DE6A :?DECF4E:@?D 2?5 @C56C]k^Am kAm%9:D >62?D E92E >J A66CD 2?5 x H6C6 AC6AA65 7@C E96 H@C<7@C46 367@C6 H6 6G6C C62=:K65 :E]k^Am kAmx?G6DE:?8 :? CFC2= D49@@=D :D 6DD6?E:2= E@ 249:6G:?8 2 H@C=5 H96C6 @AA@CEF?:E:6D 2C6 2446DD:3=6 7@C 6G6CJ@?6] #FC2= D49@@=D :? %6??6DD66 92G6 @?6 @7 E96 =@H6DE =6G6=D @7 DA6?5:?8 :? E96 &]$] !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. 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