Understanding the effects of an environment-based education program on environmental attitudes and awareness, social and academic lives of students five years post-program

This study sought to understand the influence of an environment-based education program in upstate New York, the Environmental Classroom Opportunity (ECO), on students who are five years out of the program. ECO is a two-year program that uses hands-on and experiential learning techniques to enhance the students' learning. This study engaged a qualitative method of semi-structured interviews in order to discover the influences on the environmental attitudes and awareness of students and if and how those influences can be attributed to this program. The study also considers the effects of ECO on other areas of the students' lives including their academic and social actions and decisions. Findings suggest that ECO has had a positive influence on the students' environmental, academic and social lives five years post-program.