When one is from a family of nine, hearing your mom say, “You kids have got to learn to work together,” was normal. It was more like a Plowman rule. Today, we all know that “successful teamwork,” whether on an NBA, NHL, WNBA, or NFL professional team, or community-based sports team, seems to have a stronger winning record when each player is on the same page and of the same mind.
I have recently learned of a rather ambitious program that took place last December 2025 at Notre Dame Academy in Minnetonka, Minnesota. While this school offers excellent programs from pre-school through 8th grade, the kids in grades 6-8 participated in an ambitious project: building a full-sized canoe. But the project wasn't just about learning craftsmanship and teamwork. The students planned to auction the canoe and donate the proceeds back to the school, turning their hard work into an opportunity to give back.
Over a two-week period, these middle school students from a wide variety of backgrounds learned hands-on techniques for boatbuilding, all without power tools, tips on canoeing, and campfire cooking. While improving their building skills and problem-solving, and strengthening teamwork, they learned to grow as a team and gained a greater appreciation for their fellow shipmates, regardless of age differences. Cell phones were now “a thing of the past” as each participant journeyed back to a time without one. Do you remember when we were their age? Yes, those were the days. A summer day in my house began like this. My brother Dan (2 years older), my sister Robin (2 years younger), and I would often finish our chores, put our swimsuits on, grab the beach towels and a few dollars, and hop on our bikes to head for the Excelsior or Deephaven beach for an entire glorious day! If we didn’t go to the beach, we rode our bikes to the homes of our friends in the neighborhood and announced, “Hey, softball game at our place in 15 minutes, be there or be square!” We had it all. Time to play sports, build friendships, and create memories, all without a cell phone.
The canoe-building idea originated from CSCOE (Catholic Schools Center of Excellence) and the Urban Wilderness Program as a way for kids to improve their technical skills required for woodworking and to deepen their values of perseverance and responsibility. The canoe was then auctioned off recently at the school's “Grand Beginnings” fundraiser. The canoe brought in $2,800 but did much more than that. Each student shared in the gratification that they had built a viable canoe and were able to “give back” to their school and community.
Since 2013, Urban Wilderness has been partnering with schools and organizations to help people, young and not-so-young, take a hands-on approach to building social bridges as a means of strengthening relationships and self-esteem. As former or current parents of middle schoolers, you know convincing 8th graders to hang out or work with 6th graders isn’t always easy to do, especially in a school or community environment or even at home. Projects such as this one can and does convert ordinary people, and in this case, classmates, into more than that. These programs can build friendships and self-esteem.
Even though this was a two-week school STEM project, the benefits will live on as a great memory. Each student learned a viable talent that was tangible and profitable. Science and an appreciation for nature became even more important to each of them. And magically, somewhere along the way, they gained new friendships and the right to “remember when!” all without a cell phone.