Bienestar Explorador Camp 2014

Final Report

Inspiring people to love and protect

nature

Introduction

For the past 10 years, the Audubon Society of Portland has been committed to providing outdoor

experiences and environmental education to the Bienestar community. With this partnership, Portland

Audubon and Bienestar have continued to strengthen the bond between youth and nature. Through

three week-long day camps, Explorador introduced camp participants, in second through eighth

grades, to natural areas and local green spaces around their communities. These opportunities allowed

them to create and nurture important relationships with the environment. Portland Audubon believes

that through the formation of these special bonds, we are creating the next generation of

environmentally minded citizens and future conservation leaders.

Overview of Summer 2014

This summer we provided 72 students from six sites in the Hillsboro and Forest Grove Bienestar

communities with environmental education and outdoor recreation. With the help of the Bienestar

staff members, summer camps were filled to near capacity for each of the three weeks of camp.

Through many hours overseeing and facilitating participant registration and enrollment, and the

management of daily parental communication, the Bienestar staff provided incredible support to the

Audubon Society of Portland. For this year’s Explorador camp, Portland Audubon collaborated with

environmental educators Sarah Pinnock of Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve and Isabel LaCourse of

Tualatin Riverkeeper. In addition, this year’s camp also partnered with Donna Luna of Clean Water

Services. These partnerships allowed the participants to explore wetland communities through

interpretative hikes and canoeing experiences focusing on the concepts of watershed health, wetland

ecology and the basics of canoeing.

Explorador Program Overview

This summer, each week of camp served approximately 24 students and operated with a team of

Audubon and Bienestar staff members. Every morning, Explorador staff greeted participants in front of

their housing complexes with personalized wood cookie nametags and Audubon hats. Both items

helped to build an inclusive community throughout the week and were meant to serve as reminders

for each camper of their summer experience. At the beginning of the week, participants created field

journals to document notes, observations and sketches during their daily explorations of different local

natural areas. The journals provided personalized records of experiences at Explorador Camp.

During the week, the Explorador staff chose a variety of different daily activities, incorporating the

over-arching theme of water quality.

These included:

Watershed Systems - Investigating features that make up a watershed and the importance of maintaining its health.

Water quality – Determining what makes rivers and streams healthy and how to act as stewards for their local waterways.

Habitats -Exploring wildlife habitats throughout the week as they traveled to different locations and discussed the animals that live in each habitat and their differences.

Aquatic habitats were a key focus, including rivers, streams, lakes and oceans.

Adaptations – Identifying and observing the special “equipment” animals use to help them survive in different places.

Flora and Fauna - Learning about the animals and plants inhabiting their local environment through examining tracks and animal signs left behind.

A typical week of Explorador camp ran from 9am-3pm Monday through Thursday and 9am-5pm on

Friday. Families were invited to join Explorador camp on Friday.

Typical Week Outline (each site may vary)

Monday: Rood Bridge Park/Jackson Bottom Wetlands Goals: Learn expectations, make journals, set a tone for building a community, take a nature hike and introduce ways of interacting with nature Supplies: Journal bin, field guides, first aid kit 8:45 AM Pick up at Jose Arciga 8:50 AM Pick up at Willow Park 9:00 AM Hats/Wood cookies/Bus Expectations Depart for Rood Bridge Park 9:30 AM Intros/Expectations/Ice Breakers/ Bathroom /Snack/ Assessments 10:30 AM Split into 2 groups: Journals/Games and Nature Walk 11:30 AM LUNCH 12:15 PM Depart for Jackson Bottom 12:30 PM Arrive Jackson Bottom – program with Sarah! 2:10 PM Depart 2:45 PM Drop off

Tuesday: Audubon Day

Goals: Take a nature walk and learn about native plants, introduce the concept of “adaptations,” learn about Audubon’s native education birds! Supplies: Field guides, pelts and skulls, journals, first aid kit 8:45 AM Pick up at Jose Arciga 8:50 AM Pick up at Willow Park 9:00 AM Depart for Audubon 9:45 AM Arrive at Audubon/Snack/ Intro to Audubon Society of Portland

10:00 AM Split into 3 groups/ 3 stations @ 45 min each (Sanctuary tour/creek walk/water quality testing and Pelts and Skulls/WCC tour) 12:15 PM LUNCH 1:00 PM Game/ Bathroom 1:30 PM ED Bird Presentation 1:50 PM Closing /Bead Ceremony 2:00 PM Depart 2:45 PM Drop off

Wednesday: Canoeing Tualatin River Farm Goals: Learn basics of canoeing, identify creatures in the water Supplies: Field guides, nets, journals, first aid kit 8:45 AM Pick up at Jose Arciga 8:50 AM Pick up at Willow Park 9:00 AM Depart for the Farm 9:45 AM Arrive, snack and games 10:15 AM Tour of the Farm 11:15 AM Split into 2 groups: canoeing and water quality/critter catching 12:15 PM Lunch 1:00 PM Switch groups 2:15 PM Return to sites 2:45 PM Drop off students

Thursday: Tillamook Forest Center Goals: Learn about the forest! Supplies: Journals, first aid kit, cell phone

8:45 AM Pick up at Jose Arciga 8:50 AM Pick up at Willow Park 9:00 AM Depart for Tillamook Forest Center 10:00 AM Game/Snack/Bathroom 10:30 AM Split into 2 groups: hike and interpretive center 11:30 AM Lunch 12:00 PM Game 12:30 PM River time 1:15 PM Closing /Bead Ceremony 1:45 PM Depart 2:45 PM Drop off

Friday: Beach Day! Goals: Explore Oswald West State Park and celebrate a great week! Supplies: BBQ supplies, extra clothes 8:45 AM Pick up at Jose Arciga 8:50 AM Pick up at Willow Park 9:00 AM Depart for coast 10:00 AM Snack at rest stop @ Mile Post 31 11:00 AM Hike through the coastal forest 11:45 AM Explore Oswald West beach 12:30 PM Barbeque on beach! 2:45 PM Depart for home

4:00 PM Stop for snack, surveys 5:00 PM Drop off

Assessment Results

Assessments were given to camp participants on the first and last day of camp in order to capture

changes in baseline knowledge. The assessments consisted of a knowledge-based fill in the blank

section, a multiple choice section and short answer questions focused primarily on water quality. In

addition, participants were asked how much they enjoy spending time in nature. (See Attachment A)

Of 72 camp participants for this year’s Explorador camp, 58 completed both pre and post assessments.

Of these, 81% improved or stayed the same from pre to post assessment in their knowledge of

watershed health. On post assessments, over 90% of participants correctly identified a watershed from

a group of pictures and when asked to choose what makes a river healthy, 88% of the participants

answered correctly. In the multiple choice sections, 69% of participants could determine that salmon

would be found in a healthy river and almost three quarters (72%) of participants could identify why

water quality testing is important. When asked what they can do as individuals to keep rivers healthy,

64% of participants were able to identify at least one way to improve river health and were able to list

at least one reason why a clean environment is good for them.

On the post assessment, participants were asked to share what they had learned throughout the week.

It was apparent that participants had learned and retained new information with answers ranging from

facts about native plants and animals to water quality.

At the end of Explorador camp, 82% of participants expressed that they knew more or the same

amount about nature after a week at camp. When asked about being outdoors, 90% said they enjoyed

being outdoors more or the same as at the beginning of the week.

In addition to the pre and post assessments, staff recorded attendance trends throughout the week.

This year’s Explorador camp achieved a 94% attendance rate, a 1% increase over last year. Participants

were committed to coming to camp, usually only missing camp due to illness or an appointment that

could not be moved. Of the 72 camp participants for this year’s Explorador camp, 47% were returning

participants, a 29% increase from last year.

Discussion

Staff observed through assessment data and on the ground interactions that participants utilized their

new knowledge to more closely interact with the natural world. This increased both their

understanding of the environment and their appreciation for nature. During interpretive hikes and

creek walks, participants were encouraged to use their senses to explore their environment and ask

questions, which they did with great eagerness. Participants enthusiastically pointed out familiar fauna

and flora to staff and other participants throughout the week and learned how to use field guides to

identify unknown species. Participants were excited to learn about edible plants and berries found in

nature, thus helping them to connect to the environment in a new and exciting way. After discovering

Oxalis, a small edible ground cover plant, one camper asked if she could pick the plant to use in place

of lettuce on her sandwich at lunch. A few participants described and drew pictures of “heart-shaped”

Oxalis on their assessments, one camper stating that “you can eat a plant that tastes like apples.”

With each new day, participants showed an increased interest in being outdoors and in seeing animals

that were discussed on previous days. At the Audubon Society of Portland, the participants actively

engaged with bird handlers and wrote on their assessments that they learned that owls could not turn

their heads all the way around. In addition to meeting education birds, participants enjoyed catching

critters in the water in order to more closely observe and touch living animals at Madsen Farms and

the Tillamook Forestry Center. They marveled over tadpoles with tiny legs, recognizing the process of

metamorphosis, and examined rough skinned newts, identifying why they had bright orange stomachs.

The ability to see and engage with wildlife allowed participants to develop an appreciation for the

place that they lived and also helped to solidify key ecological concepts such as adaptations, ecological

life cycles, and the food web.

In order to give participants a different perspective of their waterways and encourage hands-on

interactions, canoeing trips were added into the curriculum. Explorador participants canoed on the

Tualatin River and on the lake at Madsen Farm. For many participants, canoeing was a new activity,

one that they embraced enthusiastically. Returning participants displayed confidence and excitement

in leading the new participants in this activity. Working together with younger campers, returning

participants mastered steering and were able to move around confidently in their respective canoes.

Being in a boat on the water gave participants the opportunity to explore the environment from a

different viewpoint. Participants delighted in seeing wildlife on and in the water, which helped to

strengthen that bond with nature through new and exciting experiences. Many participants stated that

canoeing was their favorite activity of the week.

Through hands on activities and personal interactions with the natural world, we were able to spark a

passion and sense of stewardship in each participant. By the end of the week, participants were able to

connect a clean environment to their own needs for food and clean air, understanding this connection

between the human impact and the environment. Some participants went even further, writing about

the importance of trees providing oxygen for people and animals. This was conclusive evidence that

many of them were gaining insight into the connectivity between humans and the natural world.

Additionally, participants were able to understand the importance of water quality testing to assess

the health of their local waterways and how changes can cause cascading effects. These insightful

responses highlighted the knowledge and greater sense of stewardship that participants gained

throughout the week.

As always, the Bienestar community high school counselors were a crucial part of Explorador camps.

This year we were thrilled to welcome Armando Miranda, new to the Explorador program, and

welcome back Jorge Andrade and Renaldo Zurita, both of whom participated in Explorador camp as

campers. These three counselors were critical in helping us connect with the Bienestar community, as

they led with enthusiasm in their first year as counselors. They worked together with the other

counselors from Audubon to lead games, organize activities and help educators when needed.

Providing this employment opportunity to members of the Bienestar community not only enables past

participants of the program to connect with Audubon long term, but also gives valuable work

experience to young teens in the Latino community.

All Stars Overnight (New this year!)

In an effort to bring more middle school programming to longtime partnered relationships, the

Audubon Society of Portland offered its first Explorador All Stars Overnight Camp. Based out of

Honeyman State park overlooking the Oregon Dunes, campers spent four days learning about the

uniqueness of this coastal ecology. Through a variety of different nature based activities including

animal tracking, hiking, plant identification, swimming, birding, and whale watching, participants were

able to connect to this magnificent region and became fully immersed in its beauty. All Stars Overnight

camp provided a safe space for participants to experience an overnight camping trip, as they

connected with and explored an area so few ever get to visit. Participants also had the unique

opportunity to build a community with another Audubon camp through dinners, games and campfires.

For participants, this was an experience they were eager to take part in and excited to do again.

Family Days

In an effort to continue building our relationship with the Bienestar community, the Explorador

program organized family events on weekends and evenings throughout the year. This past fall, the

Audubon Society of Portland hosted a “teen only” event in order to engage an age group that is missed

by Explorador camp. Nineteen teens from the Elm Park Bienestar community attended Portland

Audubon’s “Night Flight” event. Participants enjoyed a pizza dinner, crafts and a night hike in the

sanctuary.

This past spring, 28 individuals from Elm Park attended a free fishing day put on by “I’m Hooked, Inc”

at Hagg Lake. Families enjoyed a BBQ lunch, fishing from the shore and a short trip on a fishing boat

where almost everyone was able to catch a fish to take home.

Suggestions for Next Year

Each year the partnership between the Audubon Society of Portland and the Bienestar community

grows and strengthens through the shared goal of fostering the bond between youth and nature. Even

as the program changes and grows, we know there is always room for improvement. We want to

continue strengthening the relationship with the environment that Explorador participants form during

their weeks of summer camp throughout the year. We believe that including families in outdoor

recreation is crucial to reaching this goal and we plan to continue to reach out to the Bienestar

community year round through family days.

Additionally, we hope to continue working with teens that have aged out of Explorador camp and are

not yet eligible to be counselors. We want to ensure that the important bonds with nature are fostered

throughout adolescence. Like the Halloween teen event we held last fall, we plan to once again have a

“teen only” event in order to reach this specific age group.

In order to better engage Explorador participants throughout the year, we would like to create new

opportunities such as interpretive hikes, weekend events and overnight outings with the hope of

bridging the gap between summer camp sessions. We strive to make their love, enjoyment and

stewardship of nature a life-long relationship.

Bienestar Final Student and Staff List

Week 1

Montebello

Name Grade Attendance

Cristian Almonte 5 100%

Fatima Almonte 3 100%

Stephanie Avalos 7 100%

Citlaly Ceja 5 100%

Carla Cisneros 5 100%

Daisy Duran 6 100%

Anahi Escamilla 3 100%

Jeimi Gonzalez 4 100%

Vanessa Hernandez 4 100%

Yaire Ibarra 5 100%

Yairi Lopez 4 100%

Melissa Marquez 6 100%

Kendra Martinez 5 80%

Kaelen Ornelas 3 100%

Ashley Ortega 4 100%

Shirley Ortega 7 100%

Evelin Ruiz 3 100%

Week 2

Juniper Gardens

Name Grade Attendance

Angelica Amaro 3 100%

Jorge Anguiano 2 100%

Jocelyn Arenas 5 100%

Jonathon Arenas 7 100%

Aaron Mejia 5 100%

Yazmin Navarro 3 100%

Enereo Perez 4 100% Angelica Santiago 3 80%

Rafael Santiago 5 100%

Fernando Trejo 4 80%

Elm Park

Name Grade Attendance

Areli Andrade 5 100%

Jacqueline Arroyo 6 100%

Efrain Castro 8 80%

Mario Florian 4 100%

Yareli Izquierdo 5 100%

Emanuel Lopez 5 100%

Raquel Lopez 3 80%

Eduardo Mandujano 3 100%

Juan Romero 8 80%

Miguel Sanchez 6 100%

Alexandra Sixtos 5 100%

Jasmin Tapia 3 100%

Jonny Tapia 3 100%

Asenet Torrez 3 20%

Sierra West

Name Grade Attendance

Ali Cabrera 3 100%

Gladis Manriquez 4 100%

Jessica Nonoal 4 100%

Dominique Paulus 5 100%

Lauryn Paulus 7 80%

Emanuel Sanchez 5 100%

Week 3

Jose Arciga

Name Grade Attendance

Abigail Cuevas 7 100%

Zair Cuevas 4 100%

Ulysses Miranda 6 100%

Pedro Morales

100%

Stephanie Morales 3 100%

Nicole Pineda 7 100%

Iczel Plancarte 8 100%

Maria Plancarte 7 100%

Willow Park

Name Grade Attendance

Elizabeth Annin 6 80%

Jennifer Avalos 4 60%

Cesar Dominguez 3 100%

Hatziri Mandujano 3 60%

Emanuel Lopez 7 80%

Kenia Pacheco 4 80%

Samuel Platt 3 100%

Edwin Ramirez 8 100%

Jovanni Ramirez 3 100%

Caleb Reyes 2 80%

Diana Reyes 4 100%

Gamaliel Reyes 8 80%

Gabriel Rodriguez 2 100%

Isabel Sanchez 3 100%

Maria Soto 4 100%

David Tapia 7 100%

Jazmin Tena 5 100%

Explorador Staff

Staff Title

Kristine Pierce Community Camp Coordinator

JJ Bjordahl Instructor

Taylor Feldman Instructor

Giodorano Pena Instructor

Karen Shawcross Bienestar Staff, Executive Director

Gracie Garcia Bienestar Staff

Alejandra Aguilera Bienestar Staff

Shanera Touch TALON Counselor

Drevis Umtouch TALON Counselor

Stephanie Hardy TALON Counselor

Dakota Mathews TALON Counselor

Anikpara TALON counselor

Jorge Andrade High School Counselor

Renaldo Zurita High School Counselor

Armando Miranda High School Counselor

Attachment A

AUDUBON SOCIETY OF PORTLAND

Explorador Bienestar Post-Assessment 2014

1. This week at Explorador Camp, I learned… ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 2. What is a watershed? Circle your answer.

a. b.

c. d.

3. What makes a river healthy? Circle your answer.

a. b.

c. d. 4. What kinds of plants and animals could you find in a healthy river? Circle your answer [ . ] a. Water with lots of algae and oil b. Salmon c. No animals because it’s clear and clean d. None of these 5. Why is it important to do water quality testing? Circle your answer [ . ] a. Because it’s fun b. To understand how the watershed works c. To learn about the health of the river d. To catch animals for pets 6. What can you do to help keep rivers healthy? You can circle more than one answer [ . ] a. Pick up trash b. Recycle c. Keep chemicals from going down the drain d. Nothing, rivers are pretty clean! 7. A clean environment is good for me because…

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. How much do you know about nature? Not much A little Some Lots Tons 9. How much do you enjoy being outside in nature? Not much A little Some Lots Tons 10. Rate the following: This was boring [ . ] It was ok [ . ] I loved it! Visiting Jackson Bottom 1 2 3 4 5 Going Canoeing 1 2 3 4 5 Visiting the beach 1 2 3 4 5 Tillamook Forest Center 1 2 3 4 5 Doing water quality testing 1 2 3 4 5

11. Draw a picture of your favorite moment of the week.