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 programs 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 teenswhen viewed as a
resourcehave unique gifts to strengthen
programs.
Ive become a more responsible, flexible and
compassionate leader. Plus Ive 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
  instructthus 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.