About the team

First launched in fall 2021 as part of the Rural Tech Project, the Grow MainStreet program serves students in Ravenna Middle School and Ravenna High School. Grow MainStreet empowers students at Ravenna Public Schools to develop competencies and build portfolio experiences in three categories — technology, science, and business — with the goal of stimulating economic growth within the Ravenna community. Located 45 minutes away from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Ravenna is an agricultural community with many small, family-owned fruit farms. Grow MainStreet expands on Ravenna’s existing agriculture CTE pathways to help students prepare for careers in the surrounding community and beyond. 

The foundation of the Grow MainStreet project is the Mavin platform, a free resource available to all schools. In addition to digital learning resources, the program also includes in-person classes, project-based learning, and interactions with local businesses. Students across the Grow MainStreet program use the Mavin platform to develop career awareness and establish fundamental technology skills. High school students can also enroll in the Rural Tech Lab class, which consists of a semester-long, hands-on project that dives deeply into a local topic. During the first two years of the program, students learned about beekeeping and local water quality. 

Download the builder to learn more about Ravenna’s Grow MainStreet project.

How to get in touch:

  • Community Engagement Manager: Ginger Rohwer
  • Team Lead: Greg Helmer

Learn about Ravenna:

Ravenna in the news:

See lessons learned and resources from the Rural Tech Project teams.

See lessons learned and resources from the Rural Tech Project teams.