The York School 2024/25 Year in Review - IB Personal Project: Crafting a canoe paddle for adventures on the water

The Personal Project gives students in Grade 10, the final year of the IB Middle Years Program, an opportunity to independently explore an area of personal interest over a three-month period. The project assesses students’ self-management, research, communication, critical and creative thinking, and collaboration skills. Students are encouraged to choose multi-layered, multidisciplinary projects that have a purpose or value outside the school. They develop their own goals and criteria, must show evidence of a product or outcome, and write a report reflecting on what they’ve learned. While the students take ownership over their projects and make all the decisions, their teachers provide guidance and coaching. Their report is assessed by their supervisor and externally moderated by the IB to ensure a globally consistent standard of excellence.
The seed for Will A.’s project was planted in the summer of 2024 when he got stuck using a worn out paddle during a canoe trip at camp. A year later, the paddle he dipped into the lake was one he’d made himself from a huge, solid block of wood. Will enjoys working with his hands to tackle complex projects – he’s taken apart a carburetor and put it back together, and built a LEGO motorcycle that has over 1900 pieces and a four-speed gearbox – but woodworking was a new direction for him. 

Will found a book that provided detailed, step-by-step instructions and design templates for making your own canoe paddle. A contractor friend gave him advice about the best wood and tools to use, and Will purchased a piece of mountain ash that measured 6’ x 10” x 10”. He was able to make the paddle at home using tools that his dad, Mark, owns. Mark showed him how to use the equipment and supervised him when he was using saws and other dangerous tools, but Will did all the woodworking himself. Will says the most challenging part of the project was “getting used to working in a 3D space, shaping the wood in different dimensions at the same time.” The project also required a great deal of discipline. Between October and March, Will spent approximately 100 hours working on the paddle. During the summer, he used an engraving tool to engrave his name on the paddle.
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