In recent years, many rural communities have been hurt when their local school is closed or consolidated with a school in another town. Such closings can contribute to a decline in population and a loss of community identity. And the trend toward closings is growing. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Stephanie Hemphill reports on an unusual, parent-run project designed to strengthen a small rural school in northern Minnesota. The project could provide a model for other schools that want to strengthen their ties with their community: