Imagine a K-8 school in a remote corner of southern Appalachia with a student body that once qualified for 100 percent coverage of free and reduced school meals. Imagine a school budget far below the state and national averages and a well-worn building that has been in use for a half-century. This is the reality of Grassy Fork School in Cocke County in eastern Tennessee, an area more famous for its moonshine and cock-fighting than its schools. The author describes how Grassy Fork School, one of Appalachia's poorest schools, became one of Appalachia's most successful. The author shares some lessons from Grassy Fork's experience.