River Quest: A Programmatic Evaluation

Abstract

The purpose of this evaluative study was to assess to what extent that the River Quest program in Duluth, MN achieves its mission of “enhance[ing] awareness and understanding of the St. Louis River ecosystem and interrelated commercial, industrial, and recreational activities” in participants, and supports local teacher’s curricula (About Us, n.d.). More specifically, the following learning outcomes were investigated through this study: Knowledge regarding water safety; knowledge of the interactions between the river and recreational, commercial, and industrial activities in the region; attitudes regarding water conservation. From a survey of past participants and an interview with an educator that attended in the past, findings showed that the River Quest program is successfully educating students about the subjects, and the program is viewed in an overall positive light.