South Philly dragon boat team dreams of reaching world championship

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania -- Students like Yazmine Acosta and Tha Oo had never heard of the sport, 'dragon boat,' just a few years ago.

Now, their team has a chance to compete at the world championships.

The Discovery Pathways Dragon Boat Team gives students a chance to dream even beyond the lakes and rivers of Philadelphia.

It all stems from the nonprofit, Discovery Pathways, founded by former school teacher Adam Forbes.

Forbes, who competed in dragon boat himself, always wanted to create a team for students in the city. He knew that sports like dragon boat can be expensive or downright inaccessible for inner city students.

A few years ago, his program was gifted with a boat by the Khmer Naga Dragon Boat Team during a Southeast Asian Water Festival at FDR Park.

This allowed the Discovery Pathways team to kick off and it has been making waves ever since.

In 2025, they reported that 85% of participants were refugees or immigrants and 100% of participants were low-income youth.

After earning medals in several races, the team clinched a berth for the 2026 world championships.

Now, they are fundraising to make the trip to Taiwan this summer. A GoFundMe has already netted $5,000.

To learn more about Discovery Pathways dragon boat team or to support their mission, visit their Instagram page and website.