City: Kill Devil Hills, NC

Category: Education

Telephone: (252) 449-7000

Address: Veteran Drive, off Colington Road

Description: Part of the Hyde County school system, the Ocracoke School is one of the smallest public schools in the United States, serving an island where the entire year-round population is only 750. It is a K–12 school and in 2005 had about 100 students, with only seven graduating seniors. The Ocracoke School was built in 1931. For the last several years it has been designated a School of Excellence, a state honor awarded to schools where more than 90 percent of students are performing at or above their grade level. The Ocracoke School is also repeatedly honored as an Exemplary School, which means that academic growth has exceeded expectations by more than 10 percent. Though small, the Ocracoke School is sophisticated. Every classroom is equipped with computers that are linked to the rest of the state via the Internet. Student clubs, a student newspaper, and a basketball team provide extracurricular activities. The basketball team is not in a league but plays numerous independent games throughout the season.