SAMO Youth Program ( Pre, Post and Alumni surveys)

Assessment Tools for Park-Based Youth Education and Employment Experience Programs at Santa Monica Mountain Recreation Area

SAMO_Post_Letter_and_Survey11-6-2012

SAMO Youth Program ( Pre, Post and Alumni surveys)

OMB: 1024-0264

Document [pdf]
Download: pdf | pdf
United States Department of the Interior
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation
401 West Hillcrest
Thousand Oaks, California

Dear SAMO Participant,
You are receiving this letter because you have recently completely the SAMO Youth Employment program at the
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. We would like to ask you to fill out a survey regarding your
experience with the Program.
For your convenience we have an on-line version of the survey that you can access by copying and pasting the
following URL into your browser https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QXZBGKM. This link will take you directly to the
survey. If you prefer a paper version of the survey, please contact Antonio Solorio SAMO Youth Employment
program manager at (805)370-2363 or via [email protected] (e-mail); and one will be mailed to you with a
pre-addressed return envelope. It should take you about 20 minutes to complete the survey. We appreciate your
participation in this process. As participants in the program your perspectives are important to us.
All information collected will be securely stored. Only researchers working with the study will review the data.
This research is conducted under stringent university and U.S. government regulations governing the collection
of information.
If you have any questions regarding this survey, please contact: Antonio Solorio at (805)370-2363 or
via [email protected] (e-mail).
Sincerely,

Antonio Solorio,

OMB Control Number 1024-XXXX
Current Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

OMB Control Number:1024-XXXX
Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

SAMO Youth Post-Program Student Survey
Name: __________________________________________ Date: _______________________
Dear Student,

Thank you for answering these questions about your participation in the SAMO Youth program. We
would like to get your feedback about your experience with the SAMO Youth Program. This survey should take
about 20 minutes to complete.
1. Is this your first or second year with the SAMO Youth program?
 1st Year

 2nd Year

2. How many times have you visited the Santa Monica Mountains for recreation, not work, since
attending SAMO Youth?
 0 times
 1 time
 2 or more times
3. Have you and/or your family visited other national parks in California or in other states, since
you began your SAMO Youth position?
 Yes
 No
4.

Are you considering an environmental career?
 Yes
 No

5.

Would you like to work for the National Park Service in the future?
 Yes
 No
 Maybe

6.

Did you feel the Rangers were effective in communicating with you and the other SAMO
Youth students?
 Yes
 No
 Somewhat – Please explain:

7. Did you feel comfortable expressing your concerns about job situations to the Supervising
Rangers?
 Yes
 No
 Somewhat – Please explain:

SAMO Youth Post-Program Student Survey

1|Page

For each statement below, please tell us how true you feel each statement is
Very True

Sort of
True

Neutral

Not Very
True

Not True
at All

1. How to be an effective team member.



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

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2. That environmental protection is important.



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3. That I like working outdoors.



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

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4. That young people can persuade others to do
things to improve the environment.







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5. The importance of preserving historical places.





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6. How to be more comfortable expressing myself
to people who are different from me, in terms of
age, culture, or interests.









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7. That humans can have a big influence on the
natural environment.



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8. Career/work related skills I will use in college
and/or my next job.



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9. That national parks are important for all people.



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10. That getting good grades in school is important
for my career goals.



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11. Scientific and environmental concepts.





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12. How to work with other people on shared
projects.



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



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Through participating in SAMO Youth I learned:

SAMO Youth Post-Program Student Survey

2|Page

Very True

Sort of
True

Neutral

Not Very
True

Not True
at All

13. Communication skills.





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14. How to lead discussions.



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15. How to write a good résumé.









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16. About the natural history of the Santa Monica
Mountains.



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

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17. About the cultural heritage of the Santa Monica
Mountains.



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18. How to be an important part of the National
Park Service – SAMO staff.











Through participating in SAMO Youth I learned:

SAMO Youth Post-Program Student Survey

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Thinking about your experiences as a SAMO Youth participant, to what extent do you
agree with each of the following statements?
Strongly
Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

I became more aware of the importance of
protecting cultural and historic places.

Neither
Agree or
Disagree











I felt that the Park Service staff were glad to
have my help.



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I was able to participate in outdoor recreation
activities that I had never or very seldom done
before.



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

This job provided an important income source
for me.



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I became more interested in pursuing a career
in government or public service.





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I expect to be more active in conservation
activities in the future than I probably would
have been without this experience.











I better understand the purpose and
responsibilities of the National Park Service.











I became more confident in my ability to
interact with different kinds of people,
including people older than me or with
different viewpoints.











I felt like I made an important contribution to
the Park Service.











I expect to participate more in various outdoor
activities in natural areas than I probably
would have without this experience.







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I feel my SAMO Youth work provided a
valuable public service.



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I learned a lot about job site safety.



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I learned a lot about planning for fieldwork.



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I am now more interested in exploring natural
areas and sharing experiences with friends and
family.





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



Strongly

Agree

Neither

Disagree

Strongly

SAMO Youth Post-Program Student Survey

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Agree

Agree or
Disagree

Disagree

I would feel comfortable leading a group of
students on work/school activities.

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I know about National Park Service natural and
cultural Interpretation.



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I know why it’s important to do habitat
restoration work at national parks.



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I enjoyed doing habitat restoration work at the
Santa Monica Mountains.



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I would enjoy doing habitat restoration work in
my community.



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

Postsecondary Education
Do you plan on continuing your education after graduating high school?
Yes / No
Has participating in SAMO Youth influenced your decision? If so, how?

Please check any schools/programs you plan to attend:
 Community College
 University
 Technical/Vocational School
 Certificate Program
 None of the above
If applicable, what do you plan to study or specialize in?

What career(s) are you considering after graduating high school or college?
SAMO Youth Post-Program Student Survey

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Has participating in SAMO Youth influenced your decision? If so, how?

Please check which National Park Service job(s) you are interested in.



Administration



Maintenance and Facility
Management (Roads & Trails;
Building & Utilities)



Human Resources



Environmental Education



Natural Resources (Ecologist, Plant
Biologist, Wildlife Biologist)





Cultural Resources (Museum
Management, Anthropologist,
Historian)

Interpretive Park Ranger
(Naturalist, Park Guide,
Community Outreach)



Firefighting



Archeology



Emergency Medical Services



Physical Sciences



Health and Safety



Biological Sciences



Law Enforcement (Park Police)



Architecture / Landscape Architecture



Information Technology



Engineering



Graphic Design



Contracting



Geographer (Geographic
Information Systems)

SAMO Youth Post-Program Student Survey

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SAMO Youth Program Reflections
1. What is the main purpose of the national parks?

2. Why are national parks important, in your opinion?

3. What were the most important work/career related skills you gained during your SAMO Youth
experience?

4. To what extent did you feel you were making an important contribution to the National Park Service,
your work team, and/or SAMO? Why or why not?

SAMO Youth Post-Program Student Survey

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5. What are your most memorable moments from participating in the SAMO Youth program?

6. What did you find most surprising or unexpected about your work in the SAMO Youth program?

7. What recommendations do you have for improving the SAMO Youth program?

8. What advice would you give to a new student beginning their work as a SAMO Youth participant?

SAMO Youth Post-Program Student Survey

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PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT: This information will be used by park managers to better understand the SAMO
Youth program at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Your Response to this request is voluntary and
anonymous. Your name will never be associated with your answers, and all your contact information will be destroyed when
the data collection is concluded. No action may be taken against you for refusing to supply the information requested. An
agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays
a currently valid OMB Control Number.
BURDEN ESTIMATE STATEMENT: The public reporting for this form is estimated to average 20 minutes per response. Please
direct comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this form to the NPS Information Collection Review
Coordinator, National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Dr., Fort Collins, CO 80525.

SAMO Youth Post-Program Student Survey – 4.9.12

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File Typeapplication/pdf
AuthorPonds, Phadrea
File Modified2012-11-06
File Created2012-11-02

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