Seventh-graders in the Springfield Public Schools system will be campus-bound in early March, even though attending college is still about five years away for them.

The middle school students will be visiting the University of Oregon as part of the aptly titled Campus Bound program, an effort by the UO, Springfield Public Schools and the Springfield Chamber of Commerce to help seventh-graders start thinking about higher education.

While most of the day is about having fun and exploring the UO, students will also learn more about college affordability and academic opportunities.

Students from the four public middle schools in the Springfield school district — Agnes Stewart, Hamlin, Briggs and Thurston — will come to campus for a full-day trip complete with tours, chemistry demonstrations, a geography presentation and a jeopardy game.

Randy Sullivan, a lecture demonstrator in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, has given the science demonstrations for the past few years. At each of the shows, he explodes a hydrogen balloon, launches an ethanol cannon, makes colored fireballs, mixes potassium in water and plays with dry ice and liquid nitrogen.

After the students’ oohs and aahs have subsided and the show comes to a close, Sullivan reiterates the importance of a college education.

“After the chemistry demo I always talk about how college can be a path for doing what you really love in life and finding what your real passion is,” he said.

The roughly 800 seventh-graders in the Springfield Public Schools system will be brought to campus in four separate groups according to their school. The visits will take place on March 3, 5, 10 and 11.

The program is funded by the annual Springfield Chamber Tailgate Auction, which benefits education programs in the area and local scholarships.

— By Nathaniel Brown, Public Affairs Communications