PCYC

Time in Nature Changes the Trajectory of PYC Students’ Lives

The Boundary Waters provide the nature. Help us provide the time! 

11/18/24 Update - We have exciting news to share!

Thanks to the generous support of the Bill & Cindy Schmoker Family Fund, we've secured a $9,000 matching gift for our Give to the Max campaign. This means every dollar you donate will be doubled—which will double your impact on the lives of PYC students! With this incredible match, we're raising the bar and setting a new stretch goal of $18,000, which will fund Wilderness trips for two full years.

Reviving a Beloved Tradition 

After a pandemic pause, we're thrilled to have revived our decades-long tradition of taking PYC Arts & Technology High School students to the breathtaking Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) in fall 2023! A PCYC tradition since the 1970s, help us keep the momentum going by supporting these transformative experiences!

These excursions are possible, in part, because of our long-standing partnership with Lake Wapogasset, the owners and operators of the Wilderness Canoe Base. As a partner, Wapogasset allows our groups to use camp facilities and canoes at no cost. However, PCYC is responsible for all other program costs. To eliminate potential barriers to participation, we provide these trips for free to our students, and provide ways for them to earn school credit while they are there.

The Need

When students enroll in PYC Arts & Tech, a contract alternative school, they’re often significantly behind in credit earnings.  This creative and enriching opportunity to earn credits makes a significant impact on their overall academic success and ability to graduate.

Additionally, many of our students have not traveled far from their homes in North Minneapolis. These trips provide them with a one-of-a-kind adventure in a pristine natural environment, whose positive effects ripple throughout their personal and academic lives.

All PYC Arts & Technology High School students are eligible for these BWCA trips. 

The Impact

• In 2023, over three nights and four days, 9 students embarked on their first-ever BWCA adventure, visiting the Wilderness Canoe Base, discovering new strengths, and bonding with peers and staff.
• Zero prior experience was no obstacle; students learned to canoe, camp, navigate, and work as a team.
• Reflective journaling helped them process their growth, solidifying the experience's lasting impact.
• Students received school credit for participating in journaling, discussions, and activities on the trip.

The Voices

Students had a lot to share about their experiences in 2023, captured in the journals they kept while they were there:

"It was my first time in the Boundary Waters. My first time camping, too. I liked it. It was refreshing. When I left, I felt like I’d accomplished something. And when we got back, I was just ready to work."   
- Arianna, 12th grade

"I learned I can canoe and get along with other people pretty well... and that I should step out of my comfort zone more because it could be fun."   
- Sana’A, 11th grade

Staff have insights of their own after each trip:

"The trip fosters a growth that happens, a new appreciation for themselves and others."  
- David Tarleton, Director of Education

"It builds bonds between staff and students, allowing us to push them further in class, together." 
- Nate Christen, PYC English Teacher

These trips make such an impact, that PYC alumni reflect on their experiences years later:

“Going to the Boundary Waters opened a whole new world for me.”  
- Bobby Brooks, PYC alum, credits PYC and the experiences he had in the Boundary Waters with helping him turn his life around.

The Goal

Support the continuation of this life-changing tradition, ensuring more students can:

• Develop essential life skills.
• Form unbreakable bonds with staff and peers.
• Discover their inner strength and resilience.
• Boost academic achievement with creative credit earning.
• Experience the Boundary Waters Wilderness!

What your gift can provide: 

• Paddler ($30): Food for one staff member for one full travel day.
• Camper ($60): Outdoor gear and supplies for one student.
• Trailblazer ($120): Outdoor gear and supplies for two students.
• Voyager ($450): Food for travel days for all staff and students for one trip.
• Navigator ($1,200): Full transportation costs for one trip.

This year, we invite you to help us meet our Give to the Max goal of $9,000 - enough for three BWCA excursions!

Your contributions will keep this PCYC tradition going and growing strong for years to come.

Thank you!

PCYC: Proudly serving North Minneapolis for 70 years.

Our mission:  Rooted in North Minneapolis, PCYC ignites a spirit of inspiration, connection, and growth.

PCYC manages three dynamic programs: PYC Arts & Technology High School, PCYC Summer Freedom School, and the Capri.  

PYC student excursions to the BWCA were featured in a full-length article, Boundary Waters Transformations, by Julie Dulude, in Finding Nature News, a publication of the Children & Nature Network.