The Depopulating of Rural America

I just finished reading this article: http://chronicle.com/article/The-Rural-Brain-Drain/48425/?mc_cid=a5b81f8ff2&mc_eid=2f1f545fff and I believe it provides a reasonably accurate description of what we are seeing occur in rural North Carolina and to a certain extent Stokes County. I think it is exactly the reason that we must move forward with our plans to strengthen our local infrastructure, to become more engaged with our elementary and HS students. We must also make every effort to have training made available through our community college system and reach out to our institutes of higher learning. If we can not provide a reasonable opportunity for our best and brightest to earn a competitive wage, they will continue to leave for rural America and our small towns will die a slow and agonizing death.

I do not think this is inevitable but it will take a concerted level by everyone from local governments to institutes of higher learning with egos checked at the door to turn the situation around. I welcome your thoughts and comments after reading the article.