Exploring Positive Youth Development and Civic Engagement in An
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Exploring Positive Youth Development and Civic Engagement in an Environmental Action Program: A Saint Louis Zoo Case Study _______________________________________ A Thesis presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School at the University of Missouri-Columbia ____________________________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree in Master of Science _____________________________________________________ by SYDNEY BARNASON Dr. Christine Jie Li, Thesis Supervisor May 2020 © Copyright by Sydney Barnason 2020 All Rights Reserved The undersigned, appointed by the dean of the Graduate School, have examined the thesis entitled Exploring Positive Youth Development and Civic Engagement in An Environmental Action Program: A Saint Louis Zoo Case Study presented by Sydney Barnason, a candidate for the degree of Master of Science, and hereby certify that, in their opinion, it is worthy of acceptance. Assistant Professor Christine Jie Li, Ph.D. Associate Professor Sonja Wilhelm Stanis, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Damon Hall, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Melissa J. Herzog, Ph. D To my mom, Melissa Barnason, for her constant support, love, compassion, and never-ending empathy for all the things that I do and To my non-biological moms, Eve and Laura, for helping me find my spark and teaching me to follow it. Acknowledgements This study would not have been possible without the support and assistance of many individuals and institutions, who contributed to the completion of this study. First, I would like to express all of my gratitude for my advisor, Dr. Christine Jie Li, from the time I was an undergraduate taking one of her first classes to today, she has dedicated so much of her time to my growth as a student, researcher, professional, and human. I appreciate all the time she spent helping me adjust to life as a graduate student and walking me through all the ins and outs of grad school. Her constant support and feedback have been the cornerstone to my success in graduate school. Without her assistance through comments, feedback, and support this study would not have been possible. It was an absolute honor to call Dr. Li my advisor and work with her for the past two years. Next, I would like to express my appreciation and gratitude for Dr. Melissa J. Herzog, my other advisor. Dr. Herzog helped direct me to courses and materials about which I was passionate and that helped me grow as a professional. Dr. Herzog’s genuineness helped me find comfort in the ever- stressful atmosphere of graduate school. Without Dr. Herzog and her expertise in positive youth development, this study would not have been possible. I am also grateful for Dr. Damon Hall’s assistance in my research. I am grateful for Dr. Hall’s enthusiasm for classwork and the resources that he gave to my classmates and myself. Dr. Hall provided me with critical resources and feedback from developing research questions to data analysis. Without Dr. Hall’s help, this ii study would not have been possible. I would also like to express my gratitude for Dr. Sonja Wilhelm-Stanis. My first class in graduate school, her course, helped shape me into a critical thinker and well-rounded writer. Without Dr. Wilhelm- Stanis, this project would not have been possible. I want to express my gratitude to the individuals at the Saint Louis Zoo who made this study possible, Eve Cooney, Laura Seger, Leslie Gittemeier, Louise Bradshaw, and Amy Niedbalski. Without the support of these strong women, this study would not have been possible. I would like to express gratitude to John Schulz, PhD candidate. John helped me make sure never to take life too seriously, always offered an outside opinion or critique, and provided life advice I still take to heart. I would like to thank my lab mates and fellow graduate students, Akriti Khadka, Sara Thuston, Victoria Burnett, and Jenny McCarty for their friendship and support. I would also like to thank my friends, Leah Cuddeback, Diella Packman, George Zimmerman, Bryce Baker, Tyler Paneitz, and Eric Hartel for being my best friends through thick and thin. Finally, I would like to thank my mom, Melissa Barnason, for being a constant in my life always and coaching me with endless empathy through times of stress and anxiety. When I was only ten years old, we lost dad, and for fourteen years you have consistently showed me the love and support that two parents show one child. Thank you for being full of love and filling my life with love. iii Table of Contents Acknowledgements ............................................................................................... ii Table of Contents ................................................................................................. iv List of Tables ........................................................................................................ vi List of Figures ...................................................................................................... vii ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................ viii Introduction ........................................................................................................... 1 Background ....................................................................................................... 1 Zoo ALIVE and Bye to Bags .............................................................................. 4 Literature Review .................................................................................................. 8 The Role of Zoos and Aquariums in Civic Engagement .................................... 8 Positive Youth Development ........................................................................... 12 Environmental Action ...................................................................................... 16 Significance of the Study .................................................................................... 19 Research Questions ........................................................................................... 21 Methods .............................................................................................................. 21 Data Collection ................................................................................................ 21 Survey Procedure ........................................................................................ 21 Interview Data .............................................................................................. 25 Data Analysis .................................................................................................. 27 Survey Analysis ........................................................................................... 27 Interview Analysis ........................................................................................ 28 Results ............................................................................................................... 29 Participants ..................................................................................................... 29 Results on RQ 1: To what extent does the Bye to Bags environmental action program achieve PYD and civic engagement outcomes from participants’ perspectives? .................................................................................................. 30 Results on RQ 2: To what extent do outcomes differ between volunteers engaging in high vs. low levels of volunteer hours? ........................................ 31 Results on RQ 3: How do these PYD outcomes, in the context of Bye to Bags, influence a young adult’s inclination for civic engagement? ............................ 32 Results on RQ 4: Based on known PYD practices, What PYD practices exist in Bye to Bags from alum and youth professional’s perspectives? ..................... 33 Engagement ................................................................................................. 33 iv Adult Relationships ...................................................................................... 35 Skill-Building ................................................................................................ 35 Strategic Support and Collaboration ............................................................ 36 Civic Engagement ........................................................................................ 38 Routine and Structure .................................................................................. 39 Peer Relationships ....................................................................................... 40 Policies and Practices .................................................................................. 40 Content Analysis .......................................................................................... 41 Discussion .......................................................................................................... 44 Limitations and Future Study .............................................................................. 50 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 51 References ......................................................................................................... 53 Appendix 1: Informed Consent for Youth ............................................................ 60 Appendix 2: Informed Consent for Adults ........................................................... 62 Appendix 3: Bye to Bags Survey