The Muskwa Club was founded by three middle school students in 2010, to relieve school stress, supplement classroom learning with enriching extracurricular activities, and build an inclusive family of diverse students working together for the common good. Since then, our organization has expanded to over 300 members in the United States and abroad, and has continually evolved to include new programs and initiatives. 

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Muskwa began its journey with dozens of educational field trips to area museums and cultural sites. These expeditions expanded the worldview of Muskwa's members and provided vital supplemental education outside the classroom. They also helped build Muskwa into a cohesive, supportive team for its diverse group of members.

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In 2012, Muskwa created Muskwa Amplified, a student speaker program whereby Muskwans gave free lectures to the public about areas of their interests. Topics covered included naval history, aeronautical engineering, and Japanese art. That same year, Muskwa launched its vigorous STEM program with Muskwa Propelled, a program whereby Muskwa entered the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Invention Challenge. Muskwa proceeded to compete in the challenge in 2012, 2013, and 2014, reaching the finals the last two years. Out of over 70 teams to participate, Muskwa's was the only team not supported by a school. 

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However, Muskwa's largest and widest-reaching project was yet to come. In March of 2012, Muskwa committed itself to a long-term effort to save the critically-endangered vaquita porpoise. The effort began immediately with classroom presentations and awareness booths at local aquariums. 

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Muskwa's effort to save the vaquita greatly expanded in 2013 when we created National Save the Vaquita Day, a nationwide effort to raise awareness across the United States. With help from partner organizations and participating aquariums, National Save the Vaquita Day included venues in Hawaii, California, Oregon, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, and Virginia on July 6, 2013. Since then, the event has expanded to International Save the Vaquita Day, which takes place every year on the Saturday after the 4th of July. 

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Later in 2013, Muskwa became an International organization with the opening of its first chapter in The Netherlands. Muskwa also joined the VIVA Vaquita Coalition, an alliance of seven organizations dedicated to the recovery of the vaquita porpoise. Since then, Muskwa has teamed up with the coalition and other organizations to put on succeeding International Save the Vaquita Days, raise awareness of the vaquita in communities and over social media, and petition the Mexican government to emplace measures to save the species. Thanks to global efforts to save the vaquita, the Mexican government placed and is now enforcing a ban on gillnets in the vaquita's range. 

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In the ensuing years, Muskwa has expanded from its original middle and high school audience to include chapters and locations at 47 colleges and universities. Our STEM program has also expanded through Project Proteus, our effort to build an unmanned air vehicle for marine research purposes, Project SENTINEL, and an autonomous boat program. Muskwa has launched a diverse array of programs dedicated to fostering social, environmental, and technological progress, including a World Issues Forum and the Muskwa Frontier Exploration Initiative. 

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Today, Muskwa is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit organization with over 80 chapters and locations in the United States and abroad. We are a diverse group of students dedicated to solving the problems of today while building the wonders of tomorrow. We cannot wait to see what the future holds!

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