Meet some of the characters and schools featured in the program.

Call it rural blight, or simply the impact of globalization - job opportunities are fast disappearing in rural Ohio. Once home to heavy industry, agriculture and mining, the Appalachian area of the state has seen many of these sectors shut down or move offshore in recent years. And where there are opportunities, an education beyond high school is often required. That's a challenge in a region with a high school completion rate of just 68 percent.

On teaching, and the best moments of her job

On US students and their lack of knowledge about certain parts of the world