30 Youth Environmental Impact Pilot BEC-based summer program data plan

30-day pilot · 50 students · community-facing results

Inclusive environmental research students can measure, explain, and present.

A practical plan for a BEC-based summer program that collects clean data across environmental knowledge, student habits, compost and waste impact, confidence, literacy, and accessible wellness growth.

Read the plan Open decisions

Recommended direction

Make it a repeatable pilot, not a one-off activity.

The strongest frame is a 30-Day Youth Environmental Impact Pilot: students collect real environmental data, learn from community partners, build confidence explaining what they found, and produce recommendations that can be reused by future schools, summer programs, BEC partners, churches, and community groups.

The data team owns the measurement system, dashboard, cleanup, and final visual story. Heather and Courtney can own the program narrative, partner relationships, and non-technical context. Students provide the evidence, reflections, and recommendations.

Operating model

Simple enough to run, strong enough to present.

Students

Learn and collect

Complete baseline and final assessments, weekly check-ins, group observations, reflections, and final recommendations.

Data team

Measure and visualize

Build forms, maintain the Google Sheet dashboard, clean data, produce charts, and prepare the board-facing results.

BEC + partners

Provide the real-world link

Support compost, waste, cleanup, sponsorship, local business participation, and the broader community story.

Data streams

Collect four core streams and one optional stream.

This avoids the trap of daily logging that looks ambitious but collapses when students, staff, or volunteers stop filling it out.

01

Environmental knowledge growth

Pre/post quiz covering composting, recycling, landfill, transportation, clothing, food waste, conservation, and local environmental responsibility.

  • Same quiz at start and end
  • Read-aloud or assisted option for accessibility
  • Best chart: class average pre vs post
02

Student habit change

Weekly check-ins on recycling, composting, reusable containers, transportation, clothing reuse, and one observed environmental action.

  • Weekly, not daily
  • Under three minutes
  • Best chart: habit participation by week
03

Real environmental impact

Compost, coffee grounds, waste audit, recycling contamination, river cleanup, or partner activity data depending on what BEC and partners can support.

  • Log once or twice per week
  • Use bucket counts if a scale is not available
  • Best chart: estimated pounds diverted by week
04

Confidence and communication

Student self-ratings and final presentation rubric showing confidence explaining an environmental issue, working with a group, and presenting recommendations.

  • Pre/post 1-5 survey
  • Short weekly reflection
  • Best chart: confidence before and after
05

Optional: inclusive wellness growth

Accessible movement assessment where students choose an appropriate activity and growth is measured against their own baseline.

  • Baseline and final only
  • No ranking by fitness
  • Best chart: percent showing personal growth

Cadence

The collection schedule should be light and consistent.

Day 1

Baseline

Pre-survey, knowledge quiz, confidence survey, optional wellness baseline, first compost or waste baseline if available.

Weeks 1-4

Weekly check-ins

Student form once per week, compost/waste log once or twice per week, one short reflection, and photo evidence when available.

Final 2-3 days

Post data

Repeat knowledge quiz and confidence survey, finish environmental impact log, collect student recommendations, and prepare final visuals.

Inclusive assessment

Objective does not mean identical.

Running, pushups, and situps should not be universal requirements. A board-facing program should avoid ableist framing and measure each student’s growth from their own starting point.

Cardio / endurance options

  • 6-minute walk, roll, or movement test
  • Lap count in 6 minutes
  • Step count in 6 minutes
  • Stationary movement count
  • Seated arm movement for 2 minutes
  • Timed walk/run only when appropriate

Strength / mobility options

  • Wall pushups
  • Chair stands
  • Seated arm raises
  • Modified plank or wall plank
  • Sit-to-stand count
  • Reach/stretch measurement

Record

  • Chosen activity
  • Baseline score
  • Final score
  • Percent improvement
  • Confidence rating
  • Accommodation category if useful, never private disability details
Students completed an inclusive wellness assessment using accessible movement options. Growth was measured against each student’s own baseline rather than ranking students against each other.

Forms

Use short forms that people will actually complete.

Weekly student check-in

  1. Did you recycle this week? Yes / No / Sometimes
  2. Did you compost or help with composting this week? Yes / No / Sometimes
  3. Did you use a reusable bottle or container this week? Yes / No / Sometimes
  4. Did you learn something new about waste, water, transportation, or clothing? 1-5
  5. How confident do you feel explaining one environmental issue? 1-5
  6. What did you notice this week? One sentence.

Partner compost / waste log

  1. Date
  2. Partner or site
  3. Material collected
  4. Bucket, bag, or pound count
  5. Student group involved
  6. Where it went
  7. Photo evidence available? Yes / No

Question bank

Data questions to choose from before launch.

These are the candidate questions and fields for student forms, adult logs, partner data, and final board visuals. The final forms should stay short, but this bank gives the planning group room to choose what matters most.

Student baseline + final Pre/post survey

Environmental knowledge

  1. What does composting mean?
  2. Which items can usually be recycled?
  3. What is one problem caused by food waste going to landfill?
  4. What is recycling contamination?
  5. How can transportation affect air pollution?
  6. What is one environmental issue connected to clothing or fast fashion?
  7. Name one way a local business can reduce waste.
  8. Name one action a student can take to reduce waste this week.

Confidence and attitude

  1. I can explain what composting is. 1-5
  2. I can tell the difference between trash, recycling, and compost. 1-5
  3. I feel confident sharing my ideas with a group. 1-5
  4. I feel like my choices can help the environment. 1-5
  5. I can explain one environmental issue to an adult. 1-5
  6. I know how local businesses can help environmental work. 1-5
Student weekly 3-minute check-in
  1. Did you recycle this week? Yes / No / Sometimes
  2. Did you compost or help with composting this week? Yes / No / Sometimes
  3. Did you use a reusable bottle, cup, bag, or container this week? Yes / No / Sometimes
  4. Did you avoid throwing away something that could be reused? Yes / No / Not sure
  5. Did you walk, bike, carpool, bus, or use a lower-impact ride this week? Yes / No / Not available
  6. Did you learn a new environmental word or idea this week? 1-5
  7. How confident do you feel explaining this week’s topic? 1-5
  8. What is one thing you noticed this week?
  9. What is one question you still have?
Compost + waste Adult or team log
  1. Date collected
  2. Site or partner name
  3. Material type: coffee grounds, food scraps, paper, recycling, trash, other
  4. Collection amount: pounds, bucket count, bag count, or estimated volume
  5. Was the material clean enough to compost or recycle? Yes / No / Partially
  6. Approximate contamination count, if visible
  7. Where did the material go after collection?
  8. Which student group helped, if any?
  9. Photo evidence collected? Yes / No
  10. Notes or unusual conditions
Partner Business participation log
  1. Partner name
  2. Contact person
  3. Participation type: compost, site visit, quote, sponsorship, cleanup, event, other
  4. What did the partner provide?
  5. How often can the partner participate?
  6. Can students reference the partner in the final presentation? Yes / No / Ask first
  7. Can photos be used? Yes / No / Ask first
  8. Can logo or business name be used? Yes / No / Ask first
  9. Possible future opportunity: youth program, river cleanup, gala, monthly social, other
Inclusive wellness Optional baseline + final
  1. Chosen movement option
  2. Baseline score
  3. Final score
  4. Did the student complete the same option both times? Yes / No
  5. Student effort rating after activity: 1-5
  6. Student confidence with movement activity: 1-5
  7. Was an accessible modification used? Yes / No
  8. Notes, without private disability or medical details
Reflection Student voice
  1. What environmental problem did you learn about?
  2. What surprised you during the project?
  3. What is one habit you changed or thought about changing?
  4. What should our school, community, or city do next?
  5. What could local businesses do to help?
  6. What data point from the project matters most to you?
  7. What would you tell the board if you had one minute?

Data dictionary

Types of data to collect and why they matter.

Data type Source Frequency Best use
Knowledge score Student quiz Start + end Academic growth chart
Habit participation Weekly student form Weekly Behavior trend chart
Confidence score Student survey Start + end, optional weekly Student voice and presentation readiness
Compost amount Adult or partner log 1-2x weekly Waste diverted estimate
Contamination count Waste audit Weekly or baseline/final Sorting improvement
Partner participation Partner log As events happen Community impact story
Student reflections Short written prompts Weekly + final Quotes and recommendation themes
Wellness growth Inclusive movement assessment Start + end Personal growth, not ranking
Photo evidence Staff or student documentation As available Board deck proof and context

Dashboard

One Google Sheet, clean tabs, board-ready charts.

Roster Pre Survey Weekly Check Ins Post Survey Compost Log Waste Audit Wellness Reflections Dashboard
Participants 50
Check-ins target 200
Collection rhythm Weekly
Knowledge and confidence growth
Compost by week
Habit participation

Community partners

Lead with easy participation, then grow into sponsorship.

Level 1

Compost partner

Provide coffee grounds or food waste for a 30-day student data log.

Level 2

Learning partner

Host a short visit, provide a quote, or let students document a waste process.

Level 3

Sponsor

Support the Youth Program, river cleanup, BEC gala, or monthly social event.

Level 4

Replication partner

Help recruit other local businesses so the pilot expands beyond one site.

Final presentation

The board story should be direct and measurable.

The final deck should show student growth, real environmental impact, community partnership, and a clear recommendation to continue or expand the pilot.

01

Project overview

What the pilot was, who participated, where it happened, and why it matters.

02

Method

Pre/post surveys, weekly check-ins, compost/waste logs, reflections, and final recommendations.

03

Results

Charts for knowledge growth, confidence growth, habit participation, and waste diverted.

04

Student voice

Short quotes, selected reflections, presentation excerpts, and recommendations.

05

Community partner model

BEC, local businesses, compost partners, cleanup opportunities, and sponsorship paths.

06

Recommendation

Continue the pilot, repeat it next summer, and expand to more student groups and businesses.

Board-ready metrics

These are the numbers that will look strongest.

50student capacity
200weekly check-in target
Pre/Postknowledge and confidence
4weekly data checkpoints
1-2xweekly compost/waste logging
Finalstudent recommendations

Open decisions

Resolve these before launch.