The Missouri Department of Conservation assisted Truman in renovating the Clayton Dillavou Rain Garden, located on the corner of Franklin and Patterson. Rain gardens are depressions in low areas that help temporarily store stormwater, filter runoff and improve water quality. Resource Forester Yvette Amerman suggested involving students in the revamp project by having them create sculptures of native Missouri animals that could be found in a rain garden like this one. Danielle Yakle (’05), Assistant Professor of Art and her Show Me Public Art class selected a tiger salamander, a snapping turtle and three different species of frogs (leopard frog, bull frog and crawfish frog). These larger than life creatures now reside in the Rain Garden among native plants and pollinator friendly flowers. The Rain Garden is not the first instance of Yakle’s classes creating public art – previous projects include an octopus called “The Quad Kraken,” giant acorns and the solar system that still resides in the library pit.