This month, students at St. Dominic Catholic Secondary School in Bracebridge are participating in a unique learning experience that combines history, culture, and hands-on skills. With the guidance of Algonquin canoe builder Chuck Commanda, students are helping to build a traditional birch bark canoe right at the school.

Over the course of two weeks, all students are invited to join the worksite to listen, ask questions, and try the work for themselves — from sewing bark to softening roots to learning the cultural teachings behind the creation of a canoe. For students, this is more than a building project. It is an opportunity to learn directly from Indigenous teachers, participate in traditions, and reflect on the importance of reconciliation.

The canoe build is also part of a school-wide Indigenous skilled trades program. It introduces students to apprenticeship pathways and shows them future opportunities in the trades.

Connected to the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), the project ties classroom learning in co-op, construction, history, art, geography, and math to real-world experiences.

“Chuck teaches more than canoe building,” added Principal Joe Conway. “Our students are learning about history, culture, and the values of patience, respect, and community. It’s a living example of Truth and Reconciliation in action.”

“It’s amazing to just stand and listen to Chuck, and before you know it, you’ve learned so much,” said teacher and project organizer Jen Starratt.

The canoe will be launched on the Muskoka River before returning to the school, where it will serve as a lasting reminder of the learning and relationships built through this project.