Fly over Union County, S.D., some misty morning and you get a perspective on what makes this a special place to live. Down south you'll see where the Missouri River and the Big Sioux River merge, creating flat, fertile farmland that is the county's economic anchor.

Farther north are rolling hills, blanketed with bristling corn and bronze soybeans ready for harvest. A little farther north yet is Sioux Falls, S.D., outside Union County but a major economic, educational and cultural force in the region.

That's the lay of the land in and around Union County. But come down to earth to meet the people who make it a great place to put down roots, raise a family and flourish.

Stop into Alcester to meet Jerry Joachim, who is superintendent of the Alcester-Hudson schools. His elementary school last year was named a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. That is a mighty high honor, considering there were fewer than 300 schools so designated out of almost 120,000 schools in the U.S.

"This reflects the dedication of our teachers, the hard work that the students put into their studies and the commitment to excellent education that the communities of Alcester and Hudson have," Joachim told the local newspaper.

On a farm a few miles from Alcester, meet the Dean and Cynthia Farley family. They have turned a life-on-the-land hobby into a life-learning experience for 14-year-old son Dale.

As he puts a heifer through her practice paces, Dale smiles with pride and self-esteem. He knows what he is doing, and his skill has earned him and his Hereford heifers honors in cattle shows on a local, regional and national level.

"One of the reasons we wanted Dale to get involved in showing cattle is that he is so quiet," says his mother, Cynthia. "This has given him so much confidence; he is a different kid."

That is what life in the country—and in Union County—can do for a boy.