Timothy Sheldon, research associate at CAREI, and Dr. Marti Erickson, founding Director of the University of Minnesota’s Children, Youth, & Family Consortium, presented the findings from CAREI’s three-year evaluation of the Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventure (UWCA) Program to Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and several foundation leaders. Over 12,000 Twin Cities youth and their families participated in the program in 2012. Day and overnight canoe trips on the Mississippi River introduce young people to the outdoors, connect them to caring adults, and transform the lives of young people by helping them make lasting connections to the natural world. CAREI’s evaluation of the UWCA program assessed the impact of the program activities on the attitudes and behaviors of participating students. The evaluation found that the program: (a) positively influenced students’ attitudes about the river, the environment, and science; (b) resulted in more positive connections to peers and adults, (c) promoted personal development, and (d) increased leadership skills. For more information, you can access Sheldon’s recent report on the UWCA program evaluation.