At Kennebec Valley Multiple Pathways Academy (KVMPA), education looks a little different, and that’s exactly the point. Located at Maine Street Middle School, and serving students in grades 7 through 12 within MSAD 59, KVMPA offers an innovative alternative to traditional schooling. It’s a place where students learn not just by reading about the world but by rolling up their sleeves and engaging with it directly.
This program is built on a business model that immerses students in hands-on, real-world experiences. They don’t just study entrepreneurship; they live it. Working in teams, students are treated like young professionals, solving problems, taking on responsibilities, and discovering where their skills can lead them. This kind of experiential learning helps them make meaningful connections between their education and future careers, improving not only engagement but also confidence and academic success.
“When you are here, you are working,” Julie Wallace, the program’s lead educator, said. “They are always problem-solving.”
Wallace, a passionate educator with a background in science, has built a program with her colleagues, Mike Packard and Kelly Gehrke, that prioritizes critical thinking, collaboration, and personal growth. KVMPA’s low student-to-teacher ratio — Wallace aims for four to one — allows for personalized coaching rather than traditional instruction. Teachers act as guides and mentors, helping students to build resilience and recognize their growth.
“Julie, Mike, and Kelly are dedicated to the program and are the key to its success,” MSAD 59 Superintendent Bonnie Levesque said. “They believe in the kids and work hard to build that element of trust that is so important to draw out that intrinsic motivation needed for the students to thrive.”
One of KVMPA’s signature learning tools is its aquaponics systems. These student-built ecosystems involve tilapia pools that feed into irrigation structures for growing plants like lettuce and tomatoes. Students handle every aspect of the system: constructing, maintaining, caring for the fish, harvesting vegetables, and selling the produce locally. This hands-on work is paired with academic research. Recently, high school students have been studying the mating preferences of tilapia, while middle schoolers calculate profit margins for sustainable systems.
Wallace and her team work hard to meet students where they are, which can sometimes mean one-on-one tutoring in subjects like reading and math or independent study when a student has a special interest that really motivates them.
Through these projects, students meet — and often exceed — state academic standards. They participate in standardized assessments and work on integrated curriculum projects that allow them to apply learning from multiple subject areas in a practical context. As Wallace puts it, “We’ve created an environment where they don’t know they are learning.”
KVMPA’s facilities are in the same building as Maine Street Middle School. (Students are encouraged to take courses at the high school, if they want to do so. A few students are traveling to the high school to take art classes this year.) They have their own kitchen space for culinary lessons, a shop space for building projects, and even a greenhouse on school grounds.
After seven years of building this program, Wallace has been able to expand the facilities, spaces, and resources used through the support of her administration and extensive grant writing. Wallace shared that she has written a grant almost every year while working at KVMPA.
“Julie is a go-getter who understands budget limitations but doesn’t let that stop her,” Superintendent Levesque added. “Her grant writing is amazing, and if she needs something more for the program, she finds a way!”
The program’s partnerships also elevate the experience for students. The school collaborates with the Aquaculture Research Institute, allowing students to contribute to real-world scientific research. A new initiative with Stanford University will bring virtual field trips to the classroom, allowing students from across Maine and beyond to visit the KVMPA learning environment virtually and see the incredible work taking place.
Learning at KVMPA doesn’t stop with science and business. Students also give back to their community, whether doing service learning at local farms, distributing backpacks filled with non-perishable foods to families in need, or selling their produce to support local initiatives. These projects teach empathy, leadership, and civic responsibility.
KVMPA is an invitation-only program, designed for students who haven’t found success in traditional settings. For those who are a part of it, the transformation is profound. By blending academic rigor with practical experience, KVMPA equips students with not just knowledge but purpose and direction.
“I want people to see how much these kids are learning, and they are doing it so organically,” said Wallace.
KVMPA proves that when students are engaged in meaningful, real-world work, they don’t just learn — they thrive.
To learn more about KVMPA, visit this link, or contact Julie Wallace at julie.wallace@msad59.org.
This story was written in collaboration with MSAD 59 and KVMPA. To submit a good news story to the Maine DOE, please fill out the good news submission form.
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