We're on the News!- CCX Media Story

April 24th was Urban Boatbuilders’ last day of our partnership program with Birch Grove Elementary School for the Arts! Birch Grove fifth graders, with the assistance of Breck School high school student volunteers, added the finishing touches to the longboards they've been working on since January before taking them outside on their first rides! CCX Media was there to cover the fun morning and published a great story about it. Check it out below!

Video and words by CCX Media.

An Osseo Elementary School class is giving some students a hands-on look at the trades. Urban Boatbuilders, in a partnership with Birch Grove Elementary, is finalizing its 30-hour project teaching fifth graders how to build their own longboards.

Urban Boatbuilders, despite its name, teaches kids other crafts besides boat building. For some schools, like Birch Grove, longboards are the perfect lesson. Program coordinator Brianna Oseland said this partnership gives kids a chance to try the woodworking trade early on.

Birch Grove is a school for the arts, so these kids are well-practiced in thinking creatively.

“Get that experience of working together in a team, in a hands-on project that is artistic and located within the trades,” Oseland said…

READ FULL STORY HERE

From The Workbench: Partnership with Osseo Area Schools

Osseo Area Schools recently published a story on their website highlighting Urban Boatbuilders’ ongoing partnership program with Birch Grove Elementary School for the Arts! Read Osseo Area Schools’ full story about the program below!

Photo Courtesy of Osseo Area Schools

"Every Wednesday morning since early January, a group of eight Birch Grove School for the Arts students have spent over an hour with a staff member from Urban Boatbuilders and high school volunteers from Breck School to tackle a hands-on project: building longboard skateboards from scratch.

Photo Courtesy of Osseo Area Schools

Urban Boatbuilders typically build boats with local youth, as the name suggests, but in this situation, the organization felt that longboards would be a better fit. Birch Grove chose students for the opportunity who they thought would enjoy the project and who were looking for an activity that suits them. 

On March 6, student and volunteer partners were busy working on a variety of different stages of the 15-stage construction process. The day’s work included drilling holes for the boards’ trucks, shaping the board with a block plane, refining the board’s edges and doing final smoothing with sandpaper. 

The longboards are scheduled to be complete in late April, and the group leaders said they have a fun finale planned."

Photo Courtesy of Osseo Area Schools

Community Partnership Spotlight: Vistabule Teardrop Trailers

It all started with a look. Yup, one look at the stunning apprentice-made Urban Boatbuilders canoes on a trailer and Bert Taylor was hooked. You could say it was love at first sight, but the partnership between Vistabule Teardrop Trailers and Urban Boatbuilders didn’t stop there, and continues to evolve beyond the first look.

Photo: Vistabule trailer at the Urban Boatbuilders’ Ice Fishing Tournament

Vistabule has partnered with Urban Boatbuilders in a variety of ways, from sponsoring events such as the 2021 and 2022 Urban Boatbuilders Fishing Tournament to Bert’s daughter, Lily Taylor - Chief Administration Officer, joining the UBB Board of Directors, to an apprentice and former staff member, Anthony, hired as the pre-assembly technician*. Vistabule has showed the depth and breadth of what’s possible between a business and a non-profit that share similar values. Their continued kindness and gratitude has even been demonstrated by their employees raising money to support Urban Boatbuilders programs, to get more youth involved in woodworking and the trades.

*Learn more about former Urban Boatbuilders' apprentice, Anthony through Vistabule’s Employee Spotlight HERE.

Photo: Former Urban Boatbuilers’ Apprentice & Staff Member, Anthony, now pre-assembly technician at Vistabule Teardrop Trailers

When touring Vistabule Teardrop Trailers, we had a similar “love at first sight” feeling with their beautifully designed and super mobile trailers. From the color palette to the intentional design and exquisite craftsmanship, these trailers are eye-catching and functional for those looking to comfortably hit the road without the need for a large towing capacity vehicle. Even their showroom is bright, airy, and boasts of clean, classic curves, meets the outdoors. You will even find Urban Boatbuilders’s canoes hanging in their shop.

And the people…it is clear that Vistabule is run by big brains and big hearts. They are continuously surprising us with new ways to get involved and deepen their relationship with youth at Urban Boatbuilders. It is clear that community involvement is important to the folks at Vistabule and it shines a light on what can be possible with just one look.

So we share a huge thank you to Vistabule Teardrop Trailers and Urban Boatbuilders supporters for the impact they’ve had on young people at Urban Boatbuilders, and we thank all those to come that find meaningful ways to get involved in their community.

You can learn more about Vistabule Teardrop Trailers by visiting their website HERE.

Photo: Tina Barksy, Urban Boatbuilders Board Chair with Marc Hosmer, Urban Boatbuilders Executive Director, receiving a donation from Lily Taylor and Vistabule staff.