Independent Research
Bullying
Wilder Research, one of the leaders in evaluation in the Twin Cities, conducted a formal year-long study on the effectiveness of CLIMB’s bullying plays and classes. The study found that the percentage of students who reported being the target of bullying behavior increased at schools that did not receive CLIMB programming. Bullying behavior significantly decreased at schools which received CLIMB programming or remained the same. CLIMB’s program also significantly increased student’s knowledge about bullying and how to best handle it. In addition, after CLIMB programming, students seemed more likely, when addressing someone who was bullying them, to use direct eye contact, a confident posture, and a strong voice.
Acceptance of Differences
A study on A*Part, one of CLIMB’s acceptance of differences projects, also conducted by Wilder Research, indicates that participating students' overall knowledge regarding stereotypes and consequences of stereotyping as well as other related behavior, significantly increased. In addition, the degree to which participating students agreed with stereotypes decreased, and the percentage of students who said they would engage in negative behaviors decreased.
Methamphetamine-Use Prevention
In the summary of her study, evaluator Allison Ishizaki, graduate student at the University of Minnesota, recommended that Shattered be included within secondary schools' health curriculum to aid in preventing youth from trying meth. Ishizaki’s study found that, although many students who saw the play already had some level of understanding of the risks and consequences of meth use, the majority of students agreed that the play made them less likely to try or use meth, made them more aware of the risks of using meth, and gave them new information about the drug and its dangers. The program also increased participants' comfort level in discouraging someone they know from using meth.
Higher Education
For five years, we have studied the effectiveness of our higher education programming for low-income children of color with no family history of college attendance. A summary of this study by Jeffrey D. Grann, Ph.D, Manager of Assessment at Capella University in Minneapolis, MN notes that: “Every year, we found that in the vast majority of cases, the students’ responses showed significant improvement from the pre-questionnaire to the post-questionnaire and significant retention from the post-questionnaire to the three-month follow-up questionnaire… This program appears to be effectively meeting its objectives as determined by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, the sponsor of the program and CLIMB, such as inspiring students to want to go to college, helping students realize the importance of college in their future, and identifying steps students can take now to prepare for college as well as defining key terms related to college (mentor, grant, etc.).”
Internal Evaluation
- We collect evaluations from each adult who sees our plays and classes. Evaluators assess acting, direction, sets, props, costumes, age appropriateness, and whether or not they believe we have achieved our educational objectives.
- Our Executive/Artistic Director, and the Directors of our Performing and Teaching Companies and their assistants go to the schools where we are doing our programming to observe and evaluate our plays and classes and the actors who are providing them. These observers evaluate the presentations paying particular attention to how the audience is responding to them.
- CLIMB receives support letters from educators and students. In our 2006-2007 season, we received 254 letters from educators and hundreds from students.