Golden Gate STEAM in the PARK — Day 2 Highlights

What. A. Day.

We kicked things off with sunshine and science as Ambassador Emily led us on a morning Pollinator Hunt that had everyone buzzing. From a fast-paced game of Pollinator Taboo to identifying native vs. invasive plants and planning our very own pollinator gardens, the morning bloomed with curiosity and collaboration. The conversations about how we can protect our pollinators were as powerful as the resources we shared.

Then we made our way up to the historic Battery above the NatureBridge Bluff Campus—an old concrete structure tucked into the hillside, once used for defense, now being reclaimed by nature. During our If These Walls Could Talk journaling session, campers reflected on the tension of fear and bravery that must have filled this place. We stood surrounded by wildflowers and salt air, thinking deeply about time, land, and legacy.

After lunch, we had a surprise—an exclusive tour of the Nike Missile Site, a Cold War-era defense base tucked into the Marin Headlands. Although closed to the public on Sundays, it opened just for our crew. Ranger James was exceptional, walking us through the towering missiles, radar systems, and engineering marvels of the site. I’ll admit—I’m a pacifist. But standing there, thinking about the 19-year-olds who lived and served here for years, I felt a mixture of reverence and sorrow. With so much happening in the world right now, I couldn’t help but wonder: Why are we so slow to learn from the past?

This afternoon, we shifted to art mode. With paintbrushes in hand, we combined the spirit of Monet’s impressionism with Manet’s realism, capturing the beauty of our surroundings—wild landscapes, bunkers reclaimed by nature, and that ever-present sea breeze. The creativity was flowing.

Ambassador LeAnn then guided us through Sound Mapping, inviting us to close our eyes and listen. We mapped the world around us through sound—waves, wind, footsteps on gravel—and compared it to what people might have heard in this same spot a hundred years ago. It was haunting, grounding, and powerful.

We closed the night with a screening of “Out There: A National Park Story”. I’ve seen it more times than I can count, and it still brings tears to my eyes. These stories, these places, and these people matter.

Tomorrow, we head to Alcatraz and the Marine Mammal Center—two places with very different stories but equal parts wonder. We’re ready.

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