Making a Difference with Making a Difference with At-Risk Youth:At-Risk Youth:

Creating an Evaluation Creating an Evaluation Plan for an Experiential Plan for an Experiential

Juvenile Justice ProgramJuvenile Justice Program

Suzanna Sharkey, Ph.D.Suzanna Sharkey, Ph.D.Director of Experiential EducationDirector of Experiential Education

Associated Marine InstitutesAssociated Marine Institutes

What is AMI?What is AMI?

History of AMIHistory of AMI

Associated Marine InstitutesAssociated Marine Institutes 19691969 One judge’s vision of a different wayOne judge’s vision of a different way Florida Ocean Science InstituteFlorida Ocean Science Institute Currently have 60 programs in 8 statesCurrently have 60 programs in 8 states Day treatment, residential, WINGS, InfinityDay treatment, residential, WINGS, Infinity

Mission of AMIMission of AMI

Associated Marine Institutes (AMI) is a Associated Marine Institutes (AMI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to non-profit organization dedicated to helping troubled youth develop into helping troubled youth develop into responsible and productive citizens.  responsible and productive citizens. 

AMI’s mission is to protect the public AMI’s mission is to protect the public safety and positively impact as many safety and positively impact as many youth as possible through the efforts of a youth as possible through the efforts of a diverse and innovative staff.  diverse and innovative staff. 

Thirteen Values of AMIThirteen Values of AMI

Kids FirstKids First IntegrityIntegrity DedicationDedication SafetySafety FamilyFamily ExcellenceExcellence EnthusiasmEnthusiasm

Goal OrientedGoal Oriented DiversityDiversity CreativityCreativity LoyaltyLoyalty LeadershipLeadership Honesty Honesty

AMI’s Logic ModelAMI’s Logic Model

OutcomesOutcomes

Lower recidivismLower recidivism Increase educational gainsIncrease educational gains Increased favorable completion ratesIncreased favorable completion rates Stakeholder satisfactionStakeholder satisfaction Staff retentionStaff retention

Experiential Education at AMIExperiential Education at AMI

AMI’s Definition of Experiential AMI’s Definition of Experiential EducationEducation

The presence of regularly scheduled, The presence of regularly scheduled, challenging and exciting activities that do the challenging and exciting activities that do the following:following:

engage our students physically, emotionally and engage our students physically, emotionally and mentally; mentally;

enrich learning; enrich learning; provide staff-student bonding opportunities; andprovide staff-student bonding opportunities; and create a unique personality for the program with create a unique personality for the program with

which students, staff, and the community are proud which students, staff, and the community are proud to be associated.to be associated.

New Model for Educating At-New Model for Educating At-Risk YouthRisk Youth

Tools for social and emotional developmentTools for social and emotional development Tools to create safe opportunities in class for Tools to create safe opportunities in class for

youth to experiment with success and failureyouth to experiment with success and failure Tools to lead students to a place where they Tools to lead students to a place where they

can take responsibility can take responsibility Tools to help students care for themselves Tools to help students care for themselves

and othersand others

Experiential Education at AMIExperiential Education at AMI

Traditional methods:Traditional methods: SCUBA DivingSCUBA Diving Boating/SeamanshipBoating/Seamanship White Water RaftingWhite Water Rafting RappellingRappelling Horse and Dog programsHorse and Dog programs AMI OlympicsAMI Olympics Kayaking and canoeingKayaking and canoeing ROPES coursesROPES courses

Standards-Based Experiential Standards-Based Experiential EducationEducation

Character Education through Martial ArtsCharacter Education through Martial Arts SCUBA diving aligned with state standardsSCUBA diving aligned with state standards Enhancing academics through EEEnhancing academics through EE

ScienceScience• Taxonomy and snorkelingTaxonomy and snorkeling

ReadingReading• Mental ImageryMental Imagery

HealthHealth• Create your own restaurantCreate your own restaurant

Research at AMIResearch at AMI

Student Information System - Student Information System - SISSIS

SIS

What is the SIS Database?What is the SIS Database?

SIS stands for Student SIS stands for Student Information System.Information System.

SIS is a database that SIS is a database that records information records information about kids served in about kids served in AMI programs.AMI programs.

Cycle of SIS DataCycle of SIS Data

SIS data collected at AMI

Programsenter data into SIS

Data used to create reports, proveeffectiveness, battle funding cuts, etc.

Thus, data help keep funding for programs

ComparisonsComparisons

Compare UA outcomes of those youth that Compare UA outcomes of those youth that participated in EE and those that did not.participated in EE and those that did not.

Compare UA outcomes of those programs Compare UA outcomes of those programs that incorporate EE into education and that incorporate EE into education and those that did not.those that did not.

Compare UA outcomes of those programs Compare UA outcomes of those programs that have at least one ongoing EE that have at least one ongoing EE component with those that do not.component with those that do not.

Data Points/SourcesData Points/Sources Did the youth participate in an EE activity? If so, which one(s)?Did the youth participate in an EE activity? If so, which one(s)?

SIS data entrySIS data entry

Was he/she certified? (if applicable)Was he/she certified? (if applicable) SIS data entrySIS data entry

If youth SCUBA certified, how many recreational dives did they complete while If youth SCUBA certified, how many recreational dives did they complete while at the program?at the program?

SIS data entrySIS data entry

Is participation in EE incorporated into all three components of the UA?Is participation in EE incorporated into all three components of the UA? ObservationObservation SIS data entrySIS data entry Student/staff surveysStudent/staff surveys

Does the program incorporate EE into its educational curriculum?Does the program incorporate EE into its educational curriculum? ObservationObservation Lesson plansLesson plans Student/staff surveysStudent/staff surveys

Research Questions Research Questions Program based Program based

1.1. Did those programs who incorporated EE into Did those programs who incorporated EE into education have higher educational gains?education have higher educational gains?

2.2. Did those programs who utilize EE in all three Did those programs who utilize EE in all three components of the UA have lower recidivism components of the UA have lower recidivism rates? rates?

3.3. Did those programs who utilize EE in all three Did those programs who utilize EE in all three components of the UA have higher completion components of the UA have higher completion rates?rates?

4.4. Did those programs who utilize EE in all three Did those programs who utilize EE in all three components of the UA have higher staff components of the UA have higher staff retention rates?retention rates?

Research QuestionsResearch QuestionsStudent basedStudent based

1.1. Were those youth who participated in EE Were those youth who participated in EE less likely to re-offend?less likely to re-offend?

2.2. Were those youth who participated in EE Were those youth who participated in EE more likely to complete the program more likely to complete the program favorably?favorably?

3.3. Do those youth who participated in EE as Do those youth who participated in EE as part of their education have higher part of their education have higher educational gains?educational gains?

Research QuestionsResearch Questions Staff based Staff based

Do programs that incorporate EE have Do programs that incorporate EE have higher staff retention rates?higher staff retention rates?

Are the teachers who utilize EE in their Are the teachers who utilize EE in their curriculum more likely to be satisfied in curriculum more likely to be satisfied in their jobs?their jobs?

Do the teachers who utilize EE in their Do the teachers who utilize EE in their curriculum report lower incidences of curriculum report lower incidences of behavioral issues in class?behavioral issues in class?

ChallengesChallenges

Data accuracyData accuracy Timeliness of entryTimeliness of entry ConsistencyConsistency EE TrainingEE Training MoneyMoney

Questions Questions andand

Discussion Discussion

Contact InformationContact Information

Suzanna SharkeySuzanna Sharkey Cell: 813-395-2558Cell: 813-395-2558 Email: Email: sas@amikids.orgsas@amikids.org Website: Website: www.amikids.orgwww.amikids.org