"No Boundary to the Boundary Waters" opens up wonders of BWCA to kids for free

MINNEAPOLIS -- Twin Cities kids are getting the opportunity of a lifetime: camping in the Boundary Waters. 

Before making their big trip up north, they went to wilderness school to make sure they make it back. That's all made possible by No Boundaries to the Boundary Waters, a program helping kids who likely couldn't go otherwise.

David Vang, from Prairie Seeds Academy in Minneapolis, is one of 15 high schoolers who is preparing for the summer trip.

"I'm just practicing for the Boundary Waters trip: Making fires, learning how to pack a bag and stuff, portaging a boat," Vang said.

An outing to the Boundary Waters is an escape of water and wilderness that these students will carry with them.  

"I'm planning to maybe do the Superior Trail. It takes like two weeks to do the entire trail, so I really want to do that, and go walking in national parks," Vang said. "I want to be an infantry man in the Army, become a ranger, so this will be useful for that, too."

Izzie Smith is a leader with No Boundaries to the Boundary Waters.

"It's expensive to go to the Boundary Waters. That's a reality. It requires a lot of gear, and going on these trips through these outfitters is costly," Smith said. "So with these trips we're…able to reduce that cost for the students."

It's a price that will last a lifetime for these kids.

The program is paid for through a grant, which makes it completely free, and helps give opportunities to students from underserved communities.