Investigating environmental identity development among children in rural Alaska Native communities through intergenerational, culturally responsive community science programming

This project, known as Molly Community Science, aims to support the development of environmental stewardship among 6- to 8-year-old children from rural Alaska Native communities. The project has two goals: (1) to investigate how children develop environmental stewardship (which we refer to as environmental identity); and (2) to co-design, with Alaska Native communities, an intergenerational, culturally responsive science program that nurtures this sense of stewardship.
The project builds on MOLLY OF DENALI, a national PBS KIDS series that features an Alaska Native lead character and involves Alaska Native people at every level of production.

As part of the project, producers at GBH facilitated the development of a prototype community science program that features indoor and outdoor activities, invites the participation of local knowledge-holders, builds on seasonally-appropriate harvesting practices, and includes kid-friendly technologies.

Researchers at South Dakota State University and University of Alaska Southeast conducted research to learn how children experience their place and environment, and to assess the program’s educational potential.

Educators at the Association of Interior Native Educators structured and guided the co-design work.

Community members from Bethel, Hoonah, and Northway co-created the program, and piloted several versions.

Evaluators from Goldstream Group documented the co-design process and explored the potential of the program to scale across Alaska.