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The Greeneville City Schools system has a logo that features a compass, a globe, and two phrases that aren't often uttered in the same breath: "small town" and "world class." In this context, at least, the words aren't a paradox. They're an expression of a community's commitment to educational excellence.

The 15,500 residents of Greenville, nestled in the foothills of Tennessee's Unaka Mountains, support their 2,726 K-12 students with uncommon fervor and focus. Parents, philanthropists, taxpayers, and teachers all pitch in to ensure excellent programs, top-notch instruction, and a state-of-the-art learning environment, despite the school district's small-town budget.

"We honestly believe that if we're not preparing our students to effectively use technology, it's the same as if we'd never taught them to add, because the world of technology for them is like a hammer for a carpenter -- it's just ubiquitous," says Larry Jones, the lead technician and network administrator for Greeneville schools.