by Kyle Oblong
On Friday, November 6, 2026, members of the Urban Wilderness community joined together to celebrate the grand opening and dedication of the Shuman Urban Wilderness Center (affectionately known as “The Shu”). More than 100 friends, families, students, donors, and project partners gathered from far and wide to celebrate the opening and dedicate the Center in honor of Robert Shuman, a longtime Camp Kooch-i-ching camper and counselor who shared his passion for wilderness education to many students during his time at camp and working for Urban Wilderness. At the opening, there was a heartfelt dedication, which included a traditional Law of the Woods ceremony and the planting of a river birch tree in Robert's memory.
The 1,500-square-foot, completely off-grid Center will serve as the new home of Urban Wilderness, providing students with opportunities to build canoes, develop skilled trades, and explore the outdoors through hands-on learning. Beginning in January 2027, Aiken students will start using the Center, with a free after-school program opening to students across Cincinnati and Greater Cincinnati in Fall 2027.
Made possible by more than 250 donors and community partners, The Shu represents an exciting new chapter for Urban Wilderness and Aiken High School. We look forward to seeing the next generation of students learn, build, and grow here! Thank you to all of those who helped make this possible.
