Discoveries at any age during STEAMquest

Rennie Gaither

LIGHTS ON! at Frogtown Park & Farm

The future looks brighter at Frogtown Park and Farm, the oft-visited park and demonstration farm on the west side of Frogtown. The main pathway through Frogtown Park and Farm is now newly lit through the night, improving visibility and safety.

That wasn’t the case for several years, after thieves stripped copper wiring out of the park’s light fixtures. In 2022, a group of neighborhood residents organized to advocate for a sustainable solution that would still deter thieves. Their “Lights On! For Frogtown Park” successfully won funding from the city in a competitive application process.

“Every other year, $1,000,000 in Capital Improvement Budget funds are made available for projects proposed by individuals and neighborhood groups,” explains Paul Wehrwein of the Frogtown Park Stewards. “The new lighting improves on the old in two ways. Lights on the south side are solar powered, reflecting the regenerative mission of the Farm and Farm, and with no wires to be stolen. On the shady north side, the lights are traditional in style and engineered to prevent theft. The city is seeing much lowered incidence of theft with this model of lighting.”

St. Paul Park and Recreation Department handled the specification and contracting phases of the project.

Frogtown Park Stewards volunteers are Frogtown residents and friends who help maintain the park through clean-up efforts, removal of invasive plants, native planting and other tasks. The group is sponsored and supported by Frogtown Green, a resident-led public health and environmental initiative.

Audio

Discoveries at any age during STEAMquest_Rennie Gaither tidbits by Patricia Ohmans.mp3

I’ve been discovering plenty of new things to experience lately. Funny how a previously unknown author or new jazz recordings can alter one’s state of being. So too, things overlooked, perhaps deemed too trivial to notice, such as names on a brick wall or niche cheeses. Early this month, I had fun watching young people begin a lifetime of revelations stirred by discovery.
The place was the Frogtown Community Center, and the discoveries were offered by the Bell Museum’s STEAMquest program on May 1, 2025. STEAMquest is an event chock full of hands-on activities where children can learn about science, engineering, and math. Frogtown Green and the Bell Museum are frequent partners, so it was natural for Xiem Vuong, coordinator of Frogtown Green’s highly successful Neighbor Night monthly events, to partner with the museum as part of this series.
I began my discovery tour at the “Birding Bingo” table. There, participants used binoculars to find pictures of birds – or real ones – that matched photos placed around the center. I discovered that such simple games could be used creatively for active learning. Nearby, an activity called “Filter Your Water,” offered five types of filtering material for participants to place inside small potting containers. Then the fun began: water the pot with dirty water to discover which materials offer the best filtration.
Painting and story creation stations provided children ample opportunities to get their artistic juices flowing, taking cues from photographs of galaxies to animal tracks. I was very interested in a catapult design experience using only wood craft sticks and rubber bands. And oh, yes, colorful balls of fabric to hurl from their 21st-century trebuchet.
Frogtown Green’s Neighbor Nights always offer great food, and this event was no exception, with roast pork and tofu bahn mi sandwiches from Ai Hue Bakery and Deli, fresh veggies and fruit and a trio of handcrafted cheeses from Nordic Creamery in Wisconsin. Judging from the lively activity at all of the learning stations, STEAMquest was a hit! Stay tuned for news about the next Neighbor Night, Thursday June 5, from 5-7:30 p.m. at Our Village Community Garden, on Milton at Pierce Butler.

Free trees are arriving
The Frogtown Green crew and friends were extra busy at the end of April, installing over 100 trees into gravel bed “nurseries” where they will reside until fall, leafing out and developing strong roots for transplant. As always, most of the trees will be planted in residents’ yards, where they can delight with their shade, beauty and even fruit. Frogtowners who would like a tree can sign up for one on the Frogtown Green website. Go to frogtowngreen.com and click on Urban Forestry 2025, to be notified when and how to sign up.
Rennie Gaither is a Frogtown Green volunteer, and Patricia Ohmans is its founder. Frogtown Green is a resident-led and volunteer-powered environmental initiative in St Paul’s most diverse neighborhood. If you’d like to know more, browse frogtowngreen.com or call 651-757-5970.