Take the bike trail along the Allegheny River at the Millvale Riverfront Park on a Thursday evening this summer and listen for the steady "thrum, thrum, thrum" drumbeat.

Those aren't war drums but the beat of more than 20 teens from around Pittsburgh, working in unison to glide dragon boats smoothly through the river.

The 40-foot, colorfully painted dragon boats and the instruction and guidance come courtesy of The Pittsburgh Paddlefish, an offshoot of the Three Rivers Rowing Association, known for competing in races here and around the globe.

Last year, the dragon boat team traveled to Malaysia to compete and finished 18th worldwide. For the past four years, teammates have been mentoring young people age 12 to 18 by teaching them the art of working together to row their 400-pound vessels.

"This year's probably going to be our best year," said Judy Robertson, a member of the Pittsburgh Paddlefish dragon boat team and one of the organizers of the teen program. She and seven of her teammates act as role models for the young people, teaching them how to paddle in unison and enjoy the sights along the Allegheny. "Just being on the river and seeing Pittsburgh from the boat is an exceptional experience," she said.

Three Rivers Rowing works with Communities in Action for Peace, a group founded in 1994 to promote nonviolence among the communities of Pittsburgh and beyond.

While "Paddling for Peace," the teens develop leadership skills, come to understand the diversity of their neighbors and learn to work together toward a common goal.

Last year's young paddlers took first place in the youth division in the Pittsburgh race. The teens will again participate at this year's race, scheduled for July 5 at Point State Park.

With that goal in mind, the group will paddle to a drumbeat on the Allegheny River every Thursday evening through August.

The training is being combined with continuing fundraising, in hope that the team will again be able to compete in the Dragonboat Festival, which will be held Sept. 5 in Harrisburg.

Last year, a grant from The Pittsburgh Foundation provided transportation for the group to join another youth dragon boat team, the Steel City-Hot Metal Youth League of Fox Chapel, at the race held each year on the Susquehanna River. Together, they took third place against teams from as far away as Washington, D.C.

Glenna Wilson, of Point Breeze in Pittsburgh, is a dragon-boater and coordinator of behavioral health services with the Allegheny County Department of Youth Services. As a volunteer with the teens, she enjoys teaching paddling as a way to build peaceful communities.

"We use the boat as a metaphor," she explained. "They have to work together in unison or the boat rocks too much."

Learning about the rivers is another benefit. "They're good stewards of the environment," she said. "This is something they do on their own. They care about the river as soon as they become a part of it."

This year, students from Duquesne, the North Hills, Seven Springs, Knoxville, Wilkinsburg, Shaler, Steel Valley, West Mifflin and the South Side are joining together to learn how to paddle the sturdy boats.

Robert Knafler, 16, a 10th-grader at North Hills High School, joined the team for a second year this year. "I just thought it was a fun thing to do in the summer," he said. "I met a lot of cool people last year."

Mark Freithaler, 15, joined the team for the first time, with encouragement from his neighbor, Mrs. Robertson. The ninth-grader at North Allegheny Intermediate High School said the team "sounded like fun."

An 18-year-old from Connecticut, Ali Herrera, will paddle for the team for the first time this summer, while staying in Shaler. "I've done canoeing and white water rafting," said the Colby-Sawyer College student. "I enjoy water sports."

Tanzania Guinyard is a 17-year-old senior graduating from Steel Valley High School this week. Although not involved in other sports, she discovered the joy of paddling last summer and is back again this year.

"I'd never been on the river before," she said. "But I really, really like to paddle. I set goals for myself and try hard to reach them."

Justin McCaskill, 19, is back for his third year of paddling. This year, the graduate of the PA Cyber Charter School and Duquesne native is helping to coach his boat mates. "I love the physical aspect of it," said the defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Buccaneers, a traveling football team. "It's really fun and actually kind of relaxing because the river is so beautiful."