Reimagining Trenton: Foundation Academies Students Explore Placemaking with Princeton Hydro

This Earth Day, students from Foundation Academy Collegiate in Trenton, NJ took their learning beyond the classroom through an immersive placemaking workshop hosted by Princeton Hydro. Designed as a real‑world, community‑based challenge, the experience invited students to reimagine a section of Trenton currently under study as part of the proposed Route 29 relocation project, which aims to reconnect the community to the Delaware River.

The goal was simple but powerful: give students a firsthand look at how planning, engineering, and community engagement shape the places they live, and let them experience those processes in action.

Learning by Doing: A Real‑World Design Challenge

To start the workshop, students explored the basics of land use, Trenton’s development history, and the many steps that go into shaping an engineering project. They learned how planning, engineering design, permitting, construction, funding, and community engagement all work together to influence what gets built and why. With support from the “experts,” they analyzed printed maps and photos of the selected site, identifying existing conditions and imagining what could be improved.

Once the activity began, the room quickly transformed into a bustling design studio. Each group received a large map of the site and a spread of crafting materials like blocks, clay, paper, and markers. From there, they built their vision for a future Trenton.

Some groups focused on green space and walkability. Others imagined mixed‑use corridors, safer crossings, or new community gathering areas. A few even experimented with stormwater‑friendly designs, weaving in concepts they had learned earlier in the session.

Guided by Experts, Led by Students

Throughout the activity, the “experts” from Princeton Hydro including an Engineer, Environmental Scientist, Grant Writer, Communications Specialist, Landscape Architect, and Wildlife Biologist, moved between tables, answering questions, offering technical insight, and encouraging students to think about how different stakeholders might view the same space. Residents, businesses, commuters, environmental groups, and city officials all bring different priorities to the table, and the students quickly discovered how complex those perspectives can be. The students were challenged with questions like “How are you going to fund this project?” “What’s your engagement strategy to sell this to your peers?” and “How are you going to manage potential flooding from the river or stormwater in the park?”

Becky Taylor, a longtime Trenton advocate, co‑chair of the Cadwalader Park Alliance, and leader of Trenton Walks! also joined the teaching team for the day. Her work supporting Cadwalader Park’s restoration and experience leading dozens of walks throughout the City has connected her deeply with residents across the city. She is a strategic public affairs executive and small business owner, so as she engaged with students, she encouraged them to think about how public spaces carry history, identity, and community memory, and how thoughtful design can help strengthen those connections.

The students also learned something planners and engineers know well: There is rarely a single right answer. Every design choice involves tradeoffs, and every community space should reflect the values of the people who help shape it.

Presenting Their Vision for Trenton

After building their models, each group presented their development plan to the room as if they were selling their vision to their local community in a public meeting. They explained their design choices, highlighted community needs, and described how their ideas could improve quality of life for residents.

The presentations were thoughtful, creative, and deeply rooted in the students’ lived experience. Many spoke about wanting safer streets, more places to gather, and greener, more welcoming public spaces. Others emphasized the importance of honoring Trenton’s history while planning for its future. They designed features such as a flower garden, a pier for fishing, a stormwater park, wildlife habitat, sports fields, and a kid’s playground.  One group proposed to elevate the new Route 29 so that the community could walk directly from downtown to their new riverfront park without safety issues of crossing a road.  Another group deemed the waterfront development “Trenton 2.0” with trees lining the riverfront, renewable wind energy, and raised housing.

For our team, this workshop reinforced what we already know to be true: youth engagement in STEAM education matters. Young people notice how a place feels to move through, where it feels safe or unsafe, and what kinds of spaces are missing in their daily lives. When given the tools, they articulate those needs with confidence. They also tend to think collaboratively, naturally considering community needs alongside their own.

By learning how land use works and seeing the steps behind planning and development, students begin to understand how decisions are made and how those decisions affect the character of their neighborhoods. Most importantly, they start to see themselves as active participants in shaping their city rather than passive observers. Their insights help ground planning conversations in lived experience, and their voices strengthen the long‑term vision for any community project.

Looking Ahead

We are grateful to Foundation Academies for spending Earth Day with us and for bringing their energy and insight to this design challenge. As the Route 29 relocation/waterfront study continues, we remain committed to creating opportunities for meaningful participation, especially from young people who will inherit the outcomes of today’s planning decisions.

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