Linn-Mar's High School sits as the gate between rural east Iowa and the Marion/Cedar Rapids metro area. Venture Academics was made available to 2,255 students in the Fall of 2021. Only six percent of them signed up for the VBL opportunity. Ending the 2025 school year, more than 345 students are registered (a +230% increase). Newly-retired Director of High School Teaching and Learning, Mark Hutcheson, built Venture Academics to focus on “extending learning to real world applications, problems, and solutions” (Hutcheson, 2021). The innovative program gets strong backing with state incentives through the STEM BEST® (Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers) Program and a solid partnership with Marion Economic Development Corp’s (MEDCO’s) Community Promise. 

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Linn-Mar’s Venture Academics allows students to dedicate half of their school day to one of ten content “strands” built around their interests, including Business & Innovation, Digital Design & Communication, Behavioral Science, Biomedical Science, Civics, Earth Science, and the recently added Exploring Education strand. Each strand blends traditional coursework with Iowa Academic Standards for 21st Century Skills (education.iowa.gov). Students earn credit while applying their knowledge to authentic, community-based projects.

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Following MEDCO’s coordination between local businesses and Venture Academics, industry mentors and educators co-create VBL experiences for students. Community partners also engage as mentors, hosts, and even as clients when they provide authentic business dilemmas to be transformed into student-driven projects. While earning school credit, students simultaneously gain exposure to the industries, jobs, and community networks that exist around them.

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In Venture Marketing Essentials, students collaborated with the Iowa National Guard to develop a marketing campaign targeting high school students. Teams created social media content, designed posters, and hosted an on-site promotional event during a basketball game. They learned about the Guard’s benefits and culture, explored target demographics, and explored data analytics to measure their campaign’s effectiveness (Linn-Mar Venture).

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On October 10, 2024, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names officially approved a student-led proposal to name a previously unnamed stream in Linn County as “Coopers Creek.” Over two semesters of Venture Earth Science, students put Coopers Creek on the map. After coming across an unnamed stream, students researched local geology, surveyed over 150 residents, and proposed a name honoring an early settler family. They navigated city council meetings, presented to civic leaders, and ultimately secured official approval. Their work will be permanently commemorated with new signage this year. 

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Venture Academics at Linn-Mar is authentic, situated learning innovation at a public high school. It eliminates financial and transportation barriers that often limit high-quality VBL while cultivating the development of curiosity and community engagement.

Let us empower future-ready young citizens to see themselves as agents of change in their communities.