STEWARD TEAMS FY 2010-2011 (July 1, 2010 - June 30, 2011)
Boys from Barnard Steward Team carrying out their Community Service Action project (C-SAP)
2010-2011
Program Outcome Report “I learned to respect everyone, to work as a team, and a lot of things about our environment” – Nicole, Solar Youth Steward
I. PROGRAM SUMMARY Steward Teams is a Solar Youth after-school and summer program that provides positive educational and youth developmental opportunities to youth ages 9-13 who reside in the low-income communities of New Haven. Like all Solar Youth programs, the main goal of Steward Teams is to nurture youth who are happy, healthy, community-oriented and environmentally conscious. Each Steward Team is co-led by an adult staff member and a Youth Educator, who is hired via a competitive process and participates in training for three weeks prior to each season and every Friday during the season. Youth Educators are paid interns and often have participated in Solar Youth programs as younger kids. Steward Teams is held twice per week for two hours per session in the fall and spring, and every day from 9am to 3pm for five weeks during the summer. Steward Teams is a core program of Solar Youth’s “Cycle of Stewardship,” a menu of programs that allows youth to build on their experiences, maintain relationships, progressively gain more leadership skills, become positive change agents in their environments, and then serve as role models for younger children. Steward Teams supports youth for our middle cohort of youth (9-13 year olds). Steward Teams, like all programs, follows Solar Youth’s unique program model: Kids Explore! Kids Do! Kids Teach! Following this model, youth investigate the local ecology of their community (Kids Explore!), identify environmental issues that affect the health of people and the natural environment, and seek solutions through a process of problem-solving and youth led action (Kids Do!), then teach what they have learned and accomplished to others through public education projects (Kids Teach!). In 2010-2011, Steward Teams was offered in two neighborhoods (Westville Manor and McConaughy Terrace), three schools (Barnard Environmental Studies Magnet, John S. Martinez and Truman) and at our Summer Camp, which is offered free of charge to youth throughout New Haven. Environmental topics addressed in Steward Teams in 2010-2011 included Adaptations; Air Pollution; Climate Change; Ecosystems; Habitats; Leaf Identification; Leave No Trace, Light and the Electromagnetic Spectrum; Local Food Web; Marine Animals; Natural Disasters; Photosynthesis; States of Matter; Trail Maintenance; Trophic Pyramid; Watersheds; Water Cycle; and Water Pollution. Developmental topics addressed during 2010-2011 included Community Organizing; Decision-making; Event Planning; Group Collaborative Work; Individual Leadership and Responsibility; Problem-solving; and Team-building.
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The expected outcomes for our Steward Teams are: x A demonstrated development of, at minimum, nine of the Search Institute's 40 Developmental
Assets (the building blocks of positive youth development, the possession of which has shown to have significant effect on youth's ability to resist negative influences and achieve success in adult life). The Developmental Assets we will measure are within the categories of 'constructive use of time,' 'empowerment,' 'commitment to learning,' 'positive values,' and 'social competencies.' x A demonstrated increase in environmental knowledge and commitment to environmental stewardship. Steward Teams curriculum aligns with Connecticut State standards for science learning and complements what youth are learning in the classroom at school. In addition, outcomes for Youth Educators include: x A demonstrated development of employability skills, such as timeliness, public speaking, personal financial management, work ethic and a commitment to excellence; and x A demonstrated increase in understanding of best principles and practices of youth development. Finally, as a result of implementation of Community Service Action Projects (C-SAPs) and Public Education Projections (PEPs), Steward Teams will contribute to an ecologically healthier and more environmentally conscious City of New Haven and its environs.
II. STEWARDS TEAMS BY THE NUMBERS x Offered more than 300 hours of program; x Hired and trained 19 teenage Youth Educators; x Had a total Steward Teams enrollment of 218 youth (149 unique youth) across three seasons; x Organized 29 out-of-neighborhood adventure trips for Steward Teams participants; x Implemented 17 youth-led C-SAPs and 14 Public Education Projects. x Offered Steward Teams in 2 neighborhoods (Westville Manor and McConaughy Terrace), 3
schools (Barnard, John Martinez and Truman) and at the Solar Youth Summer Camp.
III. SEASONS REVIEW Summer 2010 Solar Youth’s Summer session of Steward Teams is called Citywide Stewards because it is offered as part of our Summer Camp, which is open, free of charge, to youth throughout New Haven. In 2010, 30 youth enrolled in Citywide Stewards, led by six interns. ENERGY was the official theme of the 2010 Summer Camp, and the official rallying cry was “1-2-3, give me EN-ER-GY!”
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Kids Explore! Theme Week 1 - Enormous Energy
Week 2 - Non-Renewable Sources
Week 3 - Renewable Sources
Week 4- Food Energy
Week 5 – C-SAPs
Exploration Description
This week campers learned what energy is and why it is important. They learned about types and sources of energy. Our visit to the Connecticut Science Center allowed youth to explore different sources of energy and related topics in a hands-on way. We took an amazing hike through our neighboring West Rock Ridge State Park. Campers learned about non-renewable sources of energy and their effects on the environment. They learned about fossil fuels and Connecticut’s geological history at Dinosaur State Park, where they saw real dinosaur footprints. The youth also visited Outer Island where they leaned about the plants and animals of Long Island Sound. This week youth learned about the importance of increasing the use of renewable sources. At Eli Whitney Museum they learned about hydro power and dams and made rubber band boats (powered by potential energy). Youth practiced low impact boating on our East Rock Park canoe trip. The Schooner’s Dockside Station allowed youth to learn about watersheds, water testing, simple machines and Long Island Sound intertidal zone species. Campers learned about food chains, food webs and the trophic pyramid and their relation to the different forms of energy. Youth visited City Seed’s Farmers Market, where they learned about the importance of local farms and interacted with local farmers. At the Pequot Museum we learned about the natural resources in the Pequot’s environment. See below for details
Kids Do! As a group, the camp brainstormed a list of problems related to “energy.” They then choose three problems to address. The problems were raffled to the three different camp groups. These groups were named after renewable sources of energy: Solar, Wind and Water. Each team planned a C-SAP but the whole camp participated in each one. Theme
Community Service Action Project (C-SAP) Descriptions
Solar Team C-SAP: Global Warming
Youth organized a petition to encourage the Mayor of New Haven to invest in more renewable sources of energy. They also created a flyer with tips on how we can reduce the effects of global warming. Youth handed out 150 informational flyers and collected over 300 signatures. Youth created posters to go along with their campaign, each designed to teach people about our use of fossil fuels and the impacts on the environment, and the importance of using renewable sources of energy.
Wind Team C-SAP: Too Many Fossil Fuels
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Water Team C-SAP: Energy Use and Oil Spills
Youth made and handed out over 100 postcards to teach people about the sources of energy we use and their relation to oil spills.
Kids Teach! At the season-end Public Education Forum at the Yale Peabody Museum, claps and shouts echoed as parents and families cheered on campers during their presentations. Youth performed songs and skits created over the course of the summer, and taught the audience about what they learned and accomplished!
2010 Summer Camp staff
Testing rubber band powered boats at Eli Whitney Museum
Teaching public about fossil fuels on New Haven Green
Fall 2010 During the Fall, Solar Youth offered six Steward Teams: two at Barnard Environmental Studies Magnet, two at John S. Martinez, and one apiece at Truman and in the Westville Manor public housing development. Total enrollment was 83, and each team was led by a different teenage intern. Kids Explore! Out-of-Neighborhood Explorations East Rock Park Connecticut Science Center
Bethany Observatory Garbage Museum West Woods Lyman Orchards Campfire Maritime Aquarium
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Exploration Description
Our kick-off hike with all our youth, hiking to the summit for a grand view of their city. For our end-of-season trip, all youth were invited to learn about global warming, health and nutrition, and the universe at the newly renovated center in Hartford. The youth saw Saturn, recognized constellations and learned about space. Youth learned what happens after you throw something away, and the effect it has on the planet. A great and challenging hike in nearby Guilford. Celebrated autumn with apple picking, pumpkin decorating, and hay rides. Costumes encouraged! S'mores, night sensory experiments, and star-gazing! Those youth with perfect attendance (Solar Stars) were invited to learn about the animals and ecosystems of Long Island Sound at this Norwalk aquarium.
Kids Do! Steward Team Barnard
Barnard John S. Martinez
John S. Martinez
Truman
Westville Manor
Westville Manor
Kids Teach! Steward Team Barnard
Community Service Action Project (C-SAP) Description
Youth wanted to do something to fight the causes of air pollution. Youth created posters illustrating the possible consequences of air pollution, the mechanics of the greenhouse effect, and possible solutions. They also wrote letters to President Obama, Senator Blumenthal, and Governor Malloy urging them to take action to address air pollution issues. Worried about the amount of litter at nearby Edgewood Park and its waterways, youth organized a trash clean-up, collecting 3 full bags. With the cold winter months approaching, youth identified a lack of clothing for the homeless as the issue they chose to tackle. The youth organized and executed a food and clothing drive for the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen. Concerned with the amount of trash at and around their school, the fourth grade team at John Martinez decided to create a short video to encourage people not to litter. The video premiered at the end-ofseason Public Education Forum in front of close to 100 friends and family members. Following a visit to Lighthouse Point State Park, youth became concerned about the amount of litter at the site. They decided to raise money for trash cans and recycling bins at the Park by making and selling jewelry and baked goods at school. Youth were concerned about litter and other problems at a new playground in their community and decided to organize a Community Fun Day. Youth rallied community members around the new playground through a litter clean-up, and a bake sale and raffle to raise money for flowers to plant around the playground. Youth also distributed 100 fliers to community members explaining ways to help the make sure the playground remained a clean a same place to play. Youth were upset that soldiers serving abroad are unable to be with their families during Thanksgiving. Youth decided to write letters and make a package of donated goods including junk food, razors, shaving cream, shampoo, and other toiletries, which were sent to an army unit stationed outside of Baghdad. Public Education Project (PEP) Description
Youth frosted cupcakes, cookies and a gingerbread house, writing messages about their C-SAP with frosting (ie. "Don't Litter" "C-SAP" "Solar" "Save Edgewood").
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Barnard
John S. Martinez
John S. Martinez Truman
Westville Manor
Westville Manor
Martinez Team C-SAP: Schoolyard Clean-up
Youth created 3 posters illustrating the consequences of air pollution, ways to reduce CO2 emissions, and the mechanics of the greenhouse effect. Posters were displayed at the season-end PEF and hung at school. The youth created 19 bookmarks to encourage people to help hunger relief by donating food and clothes, which they distributed to friends and family at the season-end PEF. Youth created a video to encourage people not to litter. Youth created 7 posters depicting what they did for their C-SAP (the Baked Goods and Jewelry Sale), the results of their C-SAP (Lighthouse Point Park with more trash cans), and things they learned and liked about Solar Youth. The youth created 4 posters to educate fellow youth on what recycling, reusing, and reducing can do for their carbon footprint. Posters were displayed at the PEF. Youth videorecorded the process of creating their Community Fun Day, which they showed at the PEF.
Youth-led Westville Manor Playground Clean up
Barnard Steward Team surveying community organizer Kevin Ewing about West River Memorial Park and traffic
Spring 2011 The Steward Teams program expanded in Spring 2011. As part of our Neighborhood Model replication, Steward Teams was a founding program (along with Citycology, a program for 4-8 year olds) in McConaughy Terrace, a public housing development in the West Hills neighborhood. In total, Solar Youth offered seven Steward Teams: two at Barnard Environmental Studies Magnet, two at John S. Martinez, and one apiece at Truman and in each of our Neighborhood Model sites, Westville Manor and McConaughy Terrace. Total enrollment was 105, and again each team was led by a different teenage intern. During Spring Break, over 50 New Haven youth explored Long Island Sound at the 2011 Solar Youth Summit! From the beaches of Hammonasset State Park, to the Maritime Aquarium, to the calm waters of the Connecticut Audubon Society Coastal Center at Milford Point, Solar Youthers observed the abundant wildlife along the shore, sang songs about Connecticut's major rivers and created their own performance pieces to wrap up three full days of learning and adventure. You can check out a video of our Youth Summit here! Page 6
Kids Explore! Out-of-Neighborhood Explorations
Exploration Description
Sleeping Giant State Park
Youth hiked up and down the Giant on our Kick-off Hike.
West Haven Beach
Youth cleaned up litter off the beach.
Smart Living Center
Youth explored ways to live a greener lifestyle.
Hammonasset Beach Park
Youth explored the beach and learned about the Long Island Sound through songs and games. Youth learned about the animals and ecosystems of the Long Island Sound. Youth explored the beach at Milford and Lighthouse, and taught each other what we learned during the Youth Summit during Spring Break.
Maritime Aquarium Milford and Lighthouse Point Bluff Point State Park Cove River Memorial Park Camping at Sleeping Giant Beardsley Zoo Downtown Public Library East Shore Park
Kids Do! Steward Team Barnard 5 Barnard 6
John S. Martinez 4
John S. Martinez 5
Youth hiked through the last remaining preserved stretch of Connecticut coastline. Youth helped the park by identifying and tearing out invasive species. Youth stayed overnight in tents, made s'mores, did a night hike, and hiked to the tower in the morning. Our Solar Stars (those with perfect attendance for the season) explored Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport. The youth presented to friends, family and each other what they accomplished and learned this season at our Public Education Forum. We celebrated a great season with sports, field day games and a barbecue. Community Service Action Project (C-SAP) Description
Youth conducted a trash clean-up on the banks of the West River, and created a public service announcement regarding water pollution. Barnard’s sixth grade team identified bike promotion as an environmentally friendly for of transportation as the issue they wanted to address. Students decided to have a bake sale to raise money for the New Haven Bike Collective, a local advocacy group. While the youth were playing hide-and-seek, they noticed that there were not enough trees or bushes to hide behind. They decided to adopt a tree and to take over the care and maintenance of it. Three 20lb bags of mulch spread around the roots of the tree, and 35 seed balls were made and spread around the perimeter of the tree. The youth felt that bullying was one of the biggest issues in their lives, so they wrote, directed and acted in a 5-minute play that shows when people bully, no one wins. Solar Youth, Inc. - Page 7
McConaughy Terrace
Truman
Westville Manor
Kids Teach! Steward Team Barnard 6
Barnard 5 John S. Martinez 5/6 John S. Martinez 5/6
Truman Westville Manor
Youth Summit Clean-up in Fair Haven
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After identifying litter as a problem affecting their neighborhood and environment, youth decided to make wooden signs to put up in order to encourage people not to litter and to keep the neighborhood clean. Seven anti-litter signs were painted and hung, visible by nearby bus stops. After learning that lack of access to clean water is the biggest cause of mortality worldwide, youth organized a bake sale and lemonade stand to benefit LifeStraws, a water filter designed for the developing world. Youth decided that burglaries were a big problem in their neighborhood. Their solution was "booby traps," so they picked out cheap but loud door alarms and sold them door to door. They sold all 20 alarms in 3 hours. Public Education Project (PEP) Description
Youth created two posters showing different visions of a city -- the first polluted and congested with traffic (as we see it today), and the second with bikers on the road, trees, and a 'nicer' atmosphere. Posters were shared with students and parents at the Public Education Forum. Youth designed posters to educate the public about the dangers of water pollution and what they can do to help reduce water pollution. Youth showed a video of their anti-bullying play, along with some posters, to about 75 youth and adults at the Public Education Forum. Youth delivered an anti-bullying presentation, which included their selfmade play along with four poems they had written, to a group of 2nd and 3rd graders at Cold Spring School, right next door. Kids produced a video with three segments that featured raps they created on water pollution and their C-SAP experience. Youth made and distributed flyers around their neighborhood advertising their C-SAP, a door alarm sale. 50 flyers were distributed. Youth presented their C-SAP of selling door alarms, as well as some of the effects of global warming, to the audience at the Public Education Forum.
Staff Retreat: Cardigan Mountain, New Hampshire
Youth at Press Conference for painted Oil Drums with Mayor of New Haven and others
IV. OUTCOMES Solar Youth’s Evaluation Process Solar Youth measures its programs with a combination of evaluation tools, including Pre/Post surveys, Portfolios (evidence and examples of youth community service and public education work), Youth Feedback Forms, Family Feedback Forms, and Community Feedback Forms. The feedback forms are based on best-practice evaluation tools developed by the Search Institute. Our pre/post survey, which measures ecological literacy, aligns with Connecticut State standards for science learning. We are in the process of developing additional evaluation tools that will allow us to track development of individual youth over time.
Feedback from Participating Youth and Parents CATEGORY
% OF PARTICIPATING YOUTH WHO AGREED
% OF PARENTS WHO AGREED
70%
84%
N/A
94%
N/A
98%
83%
98%
86%
N/A
80%
N/A
80%
85%
84%
91%
81%
97%
80%
93%
88%
98%
N/A
98%
Youth Development Outcomes Empowerment
Because of Solar Youth, the community values Solar Youth participants Because of Solar Youth, participant is given useful roles in the community
Commitment to Learning
Because of Solar Youth, participant is actively engaged in learning. Because of Solar Youth, participant is motivated to do well in school
Positive Values
Because of Solar Youth, participant places a high value on helping others Because of Solar Youth, participant is more accountable for his/her actions
Social Competencies
Because of Solar Youth, participant’s communication skills have improved Because of Solar Youth, participant has learned to work well with others
Environmental Outcomes
Because of Solar Youth, participant’s knowledge about the environment improve Because of Solar Youth, participants is more responsible about the effect he/she has on the environment
Quality Assurance
I would recommend Solar Youth to my friends/other parents I would like to see my child attend Solar Youth next season
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Pre/Post Survey Results As part of Steward Teams, Solar Youth measures environmental knowledge gains of participants. We do this in part by administering a survey at the beginning of each season, and then the same survey at the end, that asks questions associated with environmental topics covered during that season, which align with what youth are learning in science class at school. In 2010-2011, pre/post surveys revealed that 77% of survey participants registered a 20% or greater increase in knowledge, while 87% registered a 10% or greater increase.
Quotes and Testimonials BECAUSE OF SOLAR YOUTH… “I learned to respect everyone, to work as a team, and a lot of things about our environment.” -Nicole “I changed and I care about my community. Also I will NEVER litter outside.” -Celia “I changed my ways, for example I don't fight.” -Tyrelle “I learned not to litter and be friendly.” -Leticia “I get to be a part of something instead of being bored.” -Mariah “It improved my grades in science.” -Bevon “I made friends, I learned about the community, and I helped lots of animals and plants.” -Calven “I feel WONDERFUL!” -Tyrese
V. ENROLLMENT/DEMOGRAPHIC DATA TOTAL Total Enrollment
218
Female
49%
Male
51%
African-American
51%
Latino
41%
Caucasian
3%
Other
5%
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