IslandWood Evaluation Project

We are pleased to release the IslandWood Evaluation Project Final Report,the culmination of our three year grant project designed to measure the outcomes of the School Overnight Program. We created assessment tools and worked with schools to measure student gains in personal growth, classroom community, attitudes toward learning, relationship with the environment, and environmental knowledge.

Here are just a few of the exciting outcomes of the School Overnight Program, shown by the study results: 

• Students reported that they made discoveries about themselves, including the ability to work well as a team, learning and observation skills, and the ability to overcome fears.
  
• Students showed significant increases in precursors to environmental stewardship (such as environmental interest and comfort with nature), as well as sense of stewardship and positive changes in conservation behavior.
  
• While students who participate in our programs are often aware of pro-environmental and stewardship behaviors, they indicate that they are more likely to engage in these behaviors after the School Overnight Program.
  

Click here for the executive summary and the final project report, written by our evaluation consultant, Dr. Anne Kearney. Check back soon for more info on how we're using our results to look more closely at our programs and the experience we provide for students.

We are very grateful for the support of the Allen Family Foundation, the members of our Advisory Board, the IslandWood graduate students, and especially to the teachers and students who participated in this project.  Special thanks goes to Dr. Lyn Fleming, Dr. Tom Marcinkowski, and Dr. Cathy Taylor for providing valuable insights in the early stages of this project.

We'd love to hear from you! Please contact Cathy Sanford at 206-855-4397 or cathys@islandwood.org with any questions or feedback.