Marianne Bird, University of California Cooperative Extension

1. On the Wild Side: Teens as Teachers Enhance Environmental Education Marianne Bird, University of California Cooperative Extension Aarti Subramaniam, 4-H Center for Youth Development ABSTRACT On the Wild Side aims to enthuse and educate elementary school children about nature, and encourage community involvement and activism in teenagers. It is both a service learning program for teens who plan and lead, and an environmental education experience for children with little opportunity to explore the natural world. This seven year study examined the program’s impact on campers’ environmental knowledge and enthusiasm for nature. It explored questions of leadership, skill development, youth-adult relationships and community engagement for teens who planned and delivered the program. Typically we see teens in camp as program recipients, but our findings reinforce that teens—when viewed as a resource—have unique gifts to strengthen programs. “I’ve become a more responsible, flexible and compassionate leader. Plus I’ve learned more about nature through teaching than I could have ever learned in a classroom.” INTRODUCTION On the Wild Side is an environmental education project spearheaded by the Sacramento County 4-H Youth Development Program. The project aims to enthuse and educate 4th, 5th and 6th grade children attending schools in low income neighborhoods about nature and the outdoors. Trained teenagers work in partnership with adult volunteers to plan and deliver the weekend-long camp experience. The University of California tracked program impacts over the last seven years to investigate whether the campers grew in environmental knowledge and enthusiasm for the outdoors, and what impact the program had on teens serving as teachers. • Impact on Program • Teen presenters possess unique authority and rapport with campers. • Teens are an integral part of making camp fun, especially for first time campers. • Teen volunteers often come from the same background and urban setting as the youth they instruct—thus share an understanding and relationship with campers different than their adult partners. • “Today I learned a lot of things, but had more fun than ever.” RESULTS • Impact on Campers • For the last seven years, campers demonstrated growth in environmental knowledge (p = .00). • Camper enthusiasm for the outdoors emerged as a consistent theme in their journal reflections and evaluations. METHODS To measure camper impact, our evaluation utilized data from participant surveys, childrens’ journals and pre- and post-tests measuring knowledge gain and enthusiasm for the outdoors (n = 514). We gathered information from teen participants through written surveys, retrospective pre-post surveys, journals and focus group interviews (n ≈ 85). HOW THIS RESEARCH CAN HELP ME Graph of pre- and post-test scores for five years of OTWS (n= 514). The difference was significant at (p =.00) level. “I learned about the tap root and how it helps stabilize the tree. I like that leaves make food for the tree.” • Teenagers can be effective teachers in environmental education programs. • Engaging youth as program resources builds competencies for youth as well as strengthens the program. • These types of short-term environmental education programs can make a significant impact in outdoor appreciation for populations under-served in the camping world. • Impact on Teens • Teens believed they improved their organizational and leadership skills. • Journal entries and observations verify that teens improved their lessons and their confidence increased. • Teens felt they had made an important contribution to their community.