Many factors contribute to Russell County's distinctive quality of life. We remain a rural community with a lower cost of living, yet we offer resources similar to major metropolitan areas.

Our public education system is likely one of the most IT-focused in the nation, due to workforce requirements driven by technology companies such as CGI operating in our county. Yet our people remain rooted by tradition, hard work and a dedication to family and home.

We're fortunate to have a rich history and numerous educational institutions that continually shape our culture and feed our zest for life.

Our rugged and mountainous area is truly one of the most beautiful and biologically rich areas in the world. The Clinch Valley, which spans the length of Russell County, has been designated as "one of the last great places" by the Nature Conservancy, an environmental group dedicated to conserving the lands and waters of the world. The Clinch River and its tributaries support a great variety of mussels, fishes and other aquatic species found nowhere else on the planet. This unique ecosystem has led to three natural area preserves being designated in our county including: Pinnacle, Channels and Cleveland Barrens.

We pay notable homage to the natural attributes of our county annually through two weekend-long celebrations: the Redbud Festival, held in Honaker (known as the Redbud Capital of the World), and Clinch River Days, held in St. Paul. These events draw thousands to Russell County in recognition of our people, music, food, arts and crafts and rare outdoor offerings.

We're also fortunate to be within close proximity to some of the most notable tourist destinations in the South.

If you love the great outdoors, then Russell County will be your ultimate playground. In addition to having six recreational parks, a community pool and a YMCA, we're blessed to have some of the nation's most amazing natural wonders right in our own backyard.

The organization's plans include establishing a Clinch River State Park at some point, which would offer access points, trails and campgrounds that connect easily to our river downtowns.

In the town of St. Paul, Clinch River Adventures, a tubing, canoeing and kayaking outfitter located in Matthews Park, is drawing hundreds of visitors annually and represents the kind of outdoor tourism that is emerging in Russell County.

The town is also where a trailhead lies for accessing the 90-mile Mountain View Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) trail system, the first of several being developed by the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority, also known as Spearhead Trails.

St Paul also provides easy access to Oxbow Lake, in addition to several hiking/biking trails. Nearby Laurel Bed Lake, located in the Clinch Mountain Wildlife Area, also covers more than 300 acres in Russell County and provides excellent angling for trout, in addition to majestic waterfalls.

In Honaker, camping and birding opportunities abound, and you'll also have access to the TransAmerica Bike Route, which runs from Astoria, Oregon, to Yorktown, Virginia, and is considered the best and most-ridden bike route in America. In addition, the town holds a Redbud Festival annually, offering the amazing spectacle of thousands of blooming Redbud trees - as well as music, games, canoe races and more.

Partially located in Russell County, the Channels is a natural area preserve found in Channels State Forest. Its name comes from an impressive formation of 400-million-year-old sandstone outcropping where water has eroded deep crevices or "channels" in between massive boulders. In additional to hiking, this area provides opportunities for wildlife watching, biking, horseback riding, hunting and picnicking.

The Russell County Public Schools provide a quality education to students by following the Virginia Standards of Learning and by integrating cutting-edge programs that support the 21st century classroom. Having access to superior broadband and leading global IT companies within our borders fundamentally changed our approach to public education. Today, we work closely with these and other stakeholders to continually upgrade our curriculum to meet workplace demands based on emerging technology skills.

In 2008, our school system was one of the first in Virginia to partner with local businesses and other entities to establish a Governor's Career and Technical Academy, known locally as Pathways Academy. This program gives our middle and high school students opportunities to acquire STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) literacy and other critical skills, knowledge and credentials needed for high-wage and high-skills careers.

All high schools also have a Cisco Networking Academy, a computer and networking curriculum that prepares students for IT jobs and/or post-secondary technology training. Cisco programs are developed by Cisco Systems Inc., an American multinational corporation based in San Jose, California, that designs, manufactures and sells networking equipment.

Plans for developing technology training in our public schools are partially determined by a Russell County Technology Committee, with assistance from community, schools and local industry.

Our public school system is accredited by the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges and serves approximately 3,900 students, preschool through grade 12, in 14 teaching facilities, including provision of career and technical classes for grades 9-12 at the Russell County Career and Technology Center in Lebanon.

Grades PreK-7

• Cooper Creek Elementary School, Grades Pre-Kindergarten-Kindergarten (Castlewood)
• Givens Elementary School, Grades Pre-Kindergarten-2 (Swords Creek)
• Lebanon Primary Elementary School, Grades Pre-Kindergarten-1
• Lebanon Elementary School, Grades 2-4
• Lebanon Middle School, Grades 5-7
• Belfast Elementary School, Grades Pre-Kindergarten-5 (Belfast)
• Castlewood Elementary School, Grades 1-7
• Cleveland Elementary School, Grades K-7
• Honaker Elementary School, Grades Pre-Kindergarten-7
• Swords Creek Elementary School, Grades 3-7

High Schools

• Castlewood High School, Grades 8-12
• Honaker High School, Grades 8-12
• Lebanon High School, Grades 8-12

Vocational Education

• Russell County Career and Technology Center, Grades 9-12 (Lebanon)
• Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center (Abingdon)

Private Schools

• Anchors Academy, Grades 8-12 (Rosedale)
• Spring City Baptist School, Grades K-12 (Cleveland)

Highlights:

• The University of Virginia's College at Wise (Wise County) offers a bachelor's degree in software engineering.
• Fast track software programming, IT help desk training, and manufacturing technology programs are among the learning options offered by community colleges and workforce training centers in Southwest Virginia.
• Both Mountain Empire Community College and Southwest Virginia Community College provide training for the Career Readiness Certificate (CRC), which helps employers determine job qualification levels of job applicants.

Southwest Virginia Technology Development Center (Lebanon) is an education center located in the Russell County Governmental Center and operated by Southwest Virginia Community College. Founded primarily to serve the emerging information technology industry in our county, the facility provides unprecedented IT training and development opportunities for businesses and residents across the region.

Russell County has multiple layers of healthcare by virtue of a major hospital system in the region and two substantial family medical clinics operating within its borders. The hospital systems and clinics in our county are listed below.

Hospitals in Russell County:

• Ballad Health - Russell County Hospital (Lebanon)
• Ballad Health - Urgent Care (Lebanon)

Family Medical Clinics in Russell County:

• C-Health (Lebanon, Honaker , St. Paul)
• Community Medical Care (Lebanon, Hansonville, Rosedale, Castlewood)

Clinch Valley Medical Center, part of LifePoint Health, is located in neighboring Tazewell County and also provides general medical and surgical care in the region.

• In Russell County itself, 20 physicians and four dentists maintain practices. More than 200 physicians and about 50 dentists serve the extended seven-county, one-city e-Region of Southwest Virginia.
• Both Holston Valley Medical Center (Kingsport) and Johnson City Medical Center in the nearby Tri-Cities were ranked among the top 10 hospitals in Tennessee by U.S. News & World Report in 2014. The facilities are located about an hour's drive from Russell County and managed by major hospital systems that serve Southwest Virginia.
• The Southwest Virginia Cancer Center in Norton, Virginia, is part of the larger Wellmont Cancer Institute, which provides the latest in oncology treatments and services in the region.
• Kissito Healthcare Maple Grove, the only skilled rehab and nursing home facility in Russell County, holds Medicare's prestigious 5-STAR Rating - a designation achieved by only about 10 percent of all nursing homes in the country.