Throughout the United States, Native American students have a high drop out rate. Melends is attacking that problem here with more counselors, a vice principal and more staff. To get the chance to succeed, many students have to travel long distances to the school. Sports and cultural events play significant roles at Pyramid Lake High. Melends has started native musical and dance performance groups, and students are building a small traditional Paiute village.
Sports plays a strong role at other rural schools, too.
The high school is the center of the town's activities. Both schools serve the rural areas of Washoe County around Gerlach and Empire - an area about 80 miles from Reno. Calif. At 27, Smith is the youngest principal in Nevada. He replaced David Green who retired after 21 years at Gerlach. As the new kid on the block, Smith juggled adjusting to his administrative role, while commuting from Reno for much of the year.