How a 105-foot schooner is teaching teens the Detroit River’s story

July 20, 2026

The University of Michigan's Detroit River Story Lab has been running a sixth-year program that connects southeast Michigan youth with the Detroit River's rich cultural and historical heritage through experiential learning aboard a historic schooner. The initiative specifically aims to address longstanding barriers that have prevented people of color in Detroit from accessing the waterway, despite the city having one of the world's largest populations of registered Black boaters. Students participate in sailing activities, collect environmental data, and attend boat-building workshops to forge personal connections with the river.

Who is affected

Detroit high school students and southeast Michigan youth
Young people in the Detroit community, particularly people of color
The Anishinaabe people (whose homeland includes the river)
University of Michigan's Detroit River Story Lab
Inland Seas Education Association (ISEA) and its crew
Program participants who become station leaders and deckhands
Over 120 groups that have sailed on the Alliance

What action is being taken

University of Michigan's Detroit River Story Lab is conducting hands-on, experiential learning programs for youth
Students are boarding the Alliance schooner and sailing along the Detroit River
Crews are leading students in hoisting sails, steering the ship, and collecting water data
Students are studying plankton samples and learning about healthy ecosystems
Detroit River Story Lab is hosting weeklong boat-building workshops where students craft and row skiffs

Why it matters

This program addresses a critical gap in connecting Detroit's youth, especially young people of color, with the Detroit River's cultural significance and their own heritage. The river has played vital roles in American history—from powering industry to serving as part of the Underground Railroad—yet its importance has been overlooked by younger generations. By creating personal connections through experiential learning, the program breaks down historic barriers to waterway access and empowers students to become invested stewards of this natural resource and community hub for future generations.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: bridgedetroit.com