The mission of Franklin County Public Schools is to prepare students for life-long learning and employment that enables them to participate as responsible family members and citizens of Franklin County and the world community. Franklin County is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwestern Virginia. Nearby are the metropolitan areas of Roanoke, Virginia and Greensboro, North Carolina, where shopping, socializing, dining, and entertaining opportunities abound. The area is surrounded by mountains, lakes, rivers, state parks, and numerous small towns brimming with regional heritage. Franklin County is the seventh largest county by area in Virginia, consisting of 692.1 square miles of land and 9.5 square miles of water. Established in 1786 and named for Benjamin Franklin, the county became a melting pot of cultures, including English, Scottish, Irish, German, African American, and Native American origins. It is a rural area with a population of 47,286. Franklin County Public Schools believe all children will learn. The school system serves more than 7,500 students, pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade in the following facilities:  twelve elementary schools with enrollments ranging from 160 to 436 students.  Two middle schools on one campus with approximately 1,437 sixth, seventh, and eighth graders  One technology and career center serving approximately 300 eighth graders  One high school serving over 2,200 students in grades nine through twelve.