SHREWSBURY – On Nov. 3, 2023, a crowd of elected officials, district staff, supporters of Shrewsbury Public Schools, parents, and students gathered outside 557 Main St. to cut the ribbon and officially open Maple & Main.
One year later, the store is thriving. Maple & Main has drawn thousands of customers, introduced new products, and helped a unique cohort of students develop skills to become successful, independent members of the community.
“The community support has been amazing. Everyone who is walking out of the store is leaving with a smile,” said Jennifer Tabor, who has managed the store for the last year. “Every single time a customer comes in, it’s an opportunity for our students to learn and practice their skills. Telling the community about our program — not just the store, but everything we do here — is most important.”
What is Maple & Main?
Maple & Main is the centerpiece of the RISE (Reaching Independence through Supported Employment) program, which was created to provide 18- to 22-year-old Shrewsbury students with in-district support.
Prior to the program, the group of students had been educated at the out-of-district Assabet Valley Collaborative. Under the leadership of Superintendent Joe Sawyer and Assistant Superintendent Meg Belsito, Shrewsbury started to chart a new path, drawing inspiration from nearby programs in Westborough and Grafton.
Maple & Main contains dozens of exclusive Shrewsbury products, many designed and created by RISE students. While at the store, students spend time screen-printing, sanding wood for signs, packaging candy, stocking shelves, arranging items, and completing other tasks meant to ensure a positive shopping experience for customers.
“My favorite part about working at Maple & Main is screen-printing; we screen-print shirts. .. My favorite thing to do at RISE is to count money so I can learn,” said Jazmine Rodon, a RISE student who has been at the store from the start.
Over the course of the year, students have been learning new skills; about 20 RISE students have gained technical knowhow — sometimes handling sharp or hot tools — while also getting the chance to work on their communication abilities, interacting with (and helping) Shrewsbury community members daily.
Tabor said she’s seen definitive growth in all of the students.
“Coming into the store on a daily basis, students are going directly over and stocking shelves before being asked, cleaning things that are dirty, and interacting with customers without any prompts,” she said. “We really like to involve our students in all of the designing process. By getting instruments like the Cricut and our new sublimation printer, we’re able to really let the students design, make their designs come to life … They love telling the community about the designs they’ve done.”
More than retail
The RISE program doesn’t end with retail offerings — in fact, that’s where it starts. In a non-public-facing spot just behind Maple & Main, RISE students have a lounge and academic space, complete with board games, a pool table, and a kitchenette area. It’s here that the students work on academics, socialize among themselves, receive support from staff, and learn other non-retail-related life skills.
“The [RISE program] is extremely fun. I was mostly cooped up at home, unable to drive, so being around my friends all the time, it’s really fun,” said RISE student Carl Amazan, who uses the kitchenette to cook for classmates and prepare for his future career. “One of my potential hopes is to become a cook, founding my own restaurant, or finding a restaurant to work at.”
And RISE students get a fair amount of experience outside of 557 Main St., participating in dozens of different community events, volunteering opportunities, and internships. The program has sent students to the Shrewsbury Fire Department, the Shrewsbury Public Library, the Shrewsbury Club, Worcester State University, and many other spots. Some students have secured paying jobs.
According to Belsito, it’s all a credit to the community.
“The Shrewsbury community has been instrumental in the success of both Maple & Main and the RISE program, demonstrating unwavering support through partnerships and genuine engagement. Our students [employees at Maple & Main], families, local residents, businesses, and organizations have contributed through regular patronage and generous donations, helping our students thrive,” she said.
