Twin Cities chapter

Minneapolis now has a fully functioning Urban Wilderness team in place. This chapter currently partners with 18 schools across the Twin Cities metro area and will be with 36 for the 2026-27 school year. In a region defined by lakes and waterways, boatbuilding is a natural extension of learning in local classrooms.

meet our Team

A person smiling with blue eyes and curly hair outdoors, wearing a gray hoodie and a backpack, in a forested area with green foliage.

Abby Auran

A woman with short hair, wearing a helmet and outdoor gear, laughing while outdoors with a river and dense forest in the background.

Alex Kahn

A man and a young girl working together on a woodworking project in a workshop, holding wires or strings over a wooden frame.

Phil Winger

Young woman with shoulder-length dark hair smiling, sitting at a table outdoors under a thatched roof, with a sunny sky and beach furniture in the background.

Maria Petrova

This dedicated team works together to bring Urban Wilderness programming to the Twin Cities. Abby, the Minneapolis Lead, and Alex travel to schools to guide students through the boatbuilding process. Phil and Maria work behind the scenes, supporting canoe-kit milling and coordinating material drop-offs to schools.

Partnership & Schools

Through a partnership with the Catholic Schools Center of Excellence (CSCOE), Urban Wilderness has brought hands-on outdoor education and boatbuilding programming to schools across the Twin Cities metro area for the past two years. CSCOE supports numerous preschool through 8th grade Catholic schools by providing funding, training, and resources, helping expand access to meaningful experiential learning opportunities for students. Through this partnership, our chapter has had the opportunity to work with the following schools:

schools

  • Annunciation Catholic School

  • Holy Redeemer School (Marshall)

  • Notre Dame Academy

  • Our Lady of Grace School (Edina)

  • Saint Therese Catholic School

  • Shakopee Area Catholic School

  • St. Francis Xavier Catholic School

  • St. John the Baptist Catholic School (Savage)

  • St. John’s School of Little Canada

  • St. Joseph Catholic School (Waconia)

  • St. Joseph’s School (West St. Paul)

  • St. Jude of the Lake Catholic School

  • St. Mary’s School (Bird Island)

  • St. Michael Catholic School

  • St. Peter Claver Catholic School

  • St. Rose of Lima Catholic School (Roseville)

  • St. Wenceslaus Catholic School (New Prague)

Two young boys working on a project, one using a screwdriver on a large painted object, possibly a model or sculpture, in a workshop or classroom setting.
A young boy stands in a classroom, holding a woodworking or craft project made of wood with a marked design that reads 'Master Rib 2'. Other students and classroom tools are visible in the background.
Children standing in a line indoors, holding a large, curved paper boat above their heads. They are dressed in school uniforms and casual clothing, smiling and posing for the photo.

Interested in working with us?

inquire below.

help us reach more students

Your support helps expand hands-on boatbuilding and outdoor education opportunities for students across the Twin Cities through our Minneapolis Chapter.

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Two young girls working together on a woodworking project at a table with wood shavings, indoor space with tile floors, chairs, and a door in the background.
Person working on a wooden frame, using their hands to drill or screw parts together.
A person is cutting fabric with a box cutter knife on a wooden table.