Mifflin  County    Summer  Science  Youth  Camp  

By:  Paulina  Jones,  Catherine  Vancura,  Michelle  Fitzgerald,  Nichole  Hetchkop  

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Penn  State  CooperaRve  Extension  

•  EducaRonal  network  to  67  counRes  across  Pennsylvania  

•  Funded  by  the  U.S.  Department  of  Agriculture  and  state  and  county  governments  

•  Provides  educaRonal  programs  to  benefit  and  strengthen  communiRes  

Summer  Science  Youth  Camp  

•  5-­‐day  camp  offered  through  Penn  State  CooperaRve  Extension  in  the  Health  &  Science  Lab  at  the  Penn  State  Learning  Center  

•  Juniata  and  Mifflin  CounRes  •  7th  and  8th  grade  •  $100  registraRon  fee  

Summer  Science  Youth  Camp  

•  Team  Building  Skills  •  Lab  Experiments  •  Hands-­‐On  AcRviRes    •  Cracs  &  CompeRRons  •  Outdoor  acRviRes  &  pool  •  Career  ExploraRon    •  Field  Trips  

Research  Findings  

•  32%  of  parents  interviewed  were  familiar  with  summer  science  youth  camp  

•  44%  were  unsure  if  they  would  enroll  their  child  in  the  science  camp  program  

•  Parents  main  concerns  were  cost,  availability,  and  child’s  interest  

Research  

•  Client/Organiza-on  – Extension  brings  research  and  experRse  into  communiRes  

– Mifflin  County  Summer  Science  Youth  aims  to  make  science  educaRon  fun  and  exciRng  for  seventh  and  eighth  grade  students  

Research  

•  Opportunity  – Research  shows  low  general  awareness  of  SSYC  among  parents  in  Mifflin  and  Juniata  counRes  

–  IniRal  summer  camp  program  in  June  2010  was  successful,  this  year  presents  an  opportunity  to  increase  awareness  and  enrollment  in  camp  

Research  

•  Audiences  – Targeted  public    

•  Families  in  Juniata  and  Mifflin  counRes  with  children  in  sixth  and  seventh  grades  

ObjecRves  

•  Informa-onal  –  Increase  parent  awareness  of  Mifflin  County  Summer  Science  Youth  Camp  from  32%  to  50%  

•  Behavioral  – Maximum  enrollment  (25  students)  of  Summer  Science  Youth  Camp  aCendees  

•  A=tudinal  – Encourage  parents  to  register  their  children  for  SSYC  

Programming  

•  Theme/messages  – “Summer  Science  Youth  Camp:  Growing  tomorrow’s  leaders”  

•  Ac-on/Special  Events  – Extension  educators  and  previous  camp  counselors  could  host  programs  to  excite  campers  about  acRviRes  at  Mifflin  County  Summer  Science  Youth  Camp  

Programming  

•  Uncontrolled  Media  – Target  local  city,  town  and  county  newspapers  –  InserRng  the  dates  the  camp  will  be  held  placed  community  calendars  in  Mifflin  and  Juniata  CounRes  

•  Controlled  Media  – Reach  out  to  parents  with  radio  PSAs  on  local  staRons  

Programming  

•  CommunicaRon  Principles  – Teachers  in  Mifflin  and  Juniata  counRes  support  and  publicize  the  camp  

– Stories  run  in  local  papers  across  these  counRes  – Visual  communicaRon  enhanced  by  providing  vivid  pictures  of  past  campers  doing  unique  and  exciRng  experiments  

– Feature  stories  about  past  campers  and  their  experience  with  summer  science  camp    

EvaluaRon  

•  InformaRonal  – To  increase  parent  awareness  through  local  print  media  and  promoRon  in  relevant  school  districts  • Measured  by  conduc.ng  a  content  analysis  of  media,  and  then  comparing  the  number  of  ar.cles  that  appear  in  the  media  to  see  if  coverage  increased  from  the  previous  year  •  Brief  interviews  of  teachers  in  local  school  districts  will  reveal  if  they  publicized  the  camp  •  Finally,  a  post  campaign  survey  of  parents  in  Mifflin  and  Juniata  coun.es  will  show  if  our  goal  was  met  

EvaluaRon  

•  Behavioral  – To  have  maximum  enrollment  (25  students)  of  Summer  Science  Youth  Camp  by  the  camp  registraRon  deadline  •  This  objec.ve  will  be  measured  by  whether  or  not  maximum  enrollment  is  met  by  the  registra.on  deadline  

EvaluaRon  

•  Aqtudinal  – Encourage  parents  to  register  their  children  for  Summer  Science  Youth  Camp  •  This  objec.ve  will  be  measured  by  conduc.ng  a  post  campaign  survey  of  parents  in  Mifflin  and  Juniata  coun.es  

Conclusion  

•  Goals  –  Increase  parent  awareness  of  the  summer  science  youth  camp  from  32%  to  50%  by  June  1,  2011    

– Meet  maximum  camp  enrollment  (25  students)  by  the  registraRon  deadline  

THANK  YOU!  

 

•  SSYC:  “Grow  tomorrow’s  leaders!”