From May 19th to May 22nd, over 1500 sixth graders participated in the St. Louis RiverQuest Event at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center and onboard the Vista Star where Minnesota Sea Grant was one of over a dozen presentation stations in 2025.

Tapping into the Great Lakes Literacy Principles and this year’s event theme of stories, extension educators created an interactive map large enough for 25 people to circle around a birds-eye view of the St. Louis Estuary and the westernmost tip of Lake Superior. The new story map puzzle created by Minnesota Sea Grant was a hit!

Along with the map, puzzle cards have pictures matching the map on one side and stories with trivia questions on the other. Started in 1993, the mission of the annual River Quest event is to provide students from Minnesota and Wisconsin with hands-on learning experiences that enhance awareness and understanding of the St. Louis River ecosystem and interrelated commercial, industrial, and recreational activities.