Around 50 rural millennials converged on Port Townsend, Wash. for the first in a series of Rethinking Rural symposiums. Madeline Moore is a young mom, rural entrepreneur and founder of Rethinking Rural, which is a network of engaged millennials working on rural issues at a national scale. In 2018, Rethinking Rural invited 50 rural millennials to Port Townsend, Wash. to … [Read more...]
Episode 23: Rural Startup Connecting Growers to Local Buyers
Vinder CEO Sam Lillie (left) with local growers. Vinder is a community marketplace for people to list, discover, and buy local produce - connecting community members to local growers. Founded in July of 2016 in Port Townsend, Wash., a rural Victorian art and seaport community, Vinder was originally launched on foot and bicycle by the founder and CEO, Sam Lillie. He would … [Read more...]
Episode 22: Rural Career and Technical Education
Every Career and Technical Education (CTE) class at Lincoln County High School (LCHS) in Hamlin, West Virginia is a Simulated Workplace. The classes cover a wide variety of professions - teaching, computer science, publishing and law enforcement, to name just a few. They run as businesses, taking on real-world projects that serve their communities. Nestled … [Read more...]
Episode 21: Simulated Workplaces in Rural Schools
The new Simulated Workplace initiative in West Virginia’s public schools is making a positive impact on rural workforce development in that state. The West Virginia Department of Education worked with numerous businesses and industries throughout the area to design the program. This initiative helps schools implement a workplace environment in all Career and Technical Education … [Read more...]
Episode 20: Rural Workforce Development
A key part of a strong rural economy is a talented workforce. Achieving this takes a collaborative of business owners willing to invest in the next generation of employees and educators willing to work with employers to provide job experience to students. Rural businesses can take the initiative in preparing local youth for future employment, according Brent Parton, the … [Read more...]