Kayak‑Kids Save a River: How One Teen’s Journey Changed a Whole Nation

A 17‑year‑old student from Ashland, Oregon, paddled the full length of a once‑dammed river that flows into the Pacific. Over 30 days she and her friends faced rapid waters, narrow channels, and a river that had been cut off by four hydroelectric dams for more than a hundred years. Their trip was the first time young Indigenous people paddled from source to sea, and it sparked global headlines, TV interviews, and a trip to Brazil for the UN climate conference. Before this adventure, most of her peers saw the river as a polluted channel that no longer supported salmon. The river’s ecosystem had been wrecked by logging, mining and a 2002 federal order that diverted water to farmers during salmon spawning. That decision caused the biggest mass die‑off of salmon in the western United States and left a legacy of damage that still hurts the local tribes. The teen’s family background is deeply rooted in river stewardship. Her father, a Māori from New Zealand, brought an adventurous spirit that pushed her to explore. Her mother, a Yurok woman from the tribe’s traditional village at the river’s mouth, taught her to plan and respect the natural world. Their guidance helped her learn kayaking at age 15, train for weeks away from home, and stay calm when cameras followed her on the river.Her extended family includes leaders who fought legal battles to remove the dams. A great‑aunt served as a tribal chair and co‑founder of an Indigenous women’s organization, while another aunt became a lawyer after the salmon tragedy. Together they secured a $550 million agreement that dismantled the last dam in 2024, allowing salmon to return and restoring a vital part of the ecosystem. The kayak crew was not only local. They trained in Colorado, Chile and Washington State, learning both Indigenous river knowledge and technical kayaking skills from a nonprofit that focuses on youth empowerment. The journey began with a ceremonial send‑off by tribal elders and ended in the Pacific, where more than 180 other Indigenous youths joined them. A flotilla of international kayakers from Chile, Bolivia and beyond paddled alongside, turning the trip into a global statement against dams. During the expedition, the young paddlers spoke at a free‑river symposium hosted by the Yurok Tribe. The event drew scientists, activists and policymakers from around the world to discuss the damage caused by dams and to draft an accord calling for worldwide dam removal. The accord, signed in July 2025, highlighted the river as a model for climate resilience and demanded action from global leaders. The experience also shaped the teen’s future goals. She plans to use storytelling, filmmaking and public policy to continue advocating for Indigenous rights and environmental justice. Already a media presence on CNN, the Kelly Clarkson Show and the White House Water Summit, she is now focused on finishing high school before deciding on college.