From an article published in The Register-Herald (Beckley, West Virginia):
“My opinion of West Virginia’s state of education is a bit of an unpopular one,” [West Virginia University student Christyana] Jones said. “I spent the majority of my academic career in North Carolina. I grew up in Raleigh, the capitol of the state, which meant I attended some of the most diverse schools, with the newest technologies and newest implemented policies.
“With school there, there was always something new, and everything was interconnected.”
During her North Carolina education experience, Jones was able to take part in programs offered during the summer and holiday breaks at recreation centers operated by school counselors. She said no matter what, whether school was in session or not, there were always opportunities for continuous learning, something she really didn’t experience during her time at WWHS [Woodrow Wilson High School in Raleigh County, WV].
My guess is that the increased educational opportunities had more to do with living near a major city than anything else.