Sixth graders experience college for a day

Kevin Beachy

Junior Lydia Ramer opens up an egg contraption to check for damage to the egg during the egg drop activity in the recent “College for a Day” field trip. Students who participated in the math and science group used various materials to build protective cases for their eggs, which they then dropped down the stairwell to see which eggs survived the fall.

Unbeknownst to most EMU students, the large group of middle schoolers seen around campus en masse Mar. 18 were participating in an annual field trip from J. Frank Hillyard Middle School.

The sixth grade students arrived on campus at about 9:15 a.m., eagerly anticipating upcoming classes. Undergraduate Academic Dean Marie Morris welcomed the students in an orientation in Strite Auditorium before they went to their classes. The purpose of their field trip was to let these ambitious children experience "College for a Day." The field trip was set up by education professor Sandy Brownscombe, along with students taking her Middle School Organization and Curriculum class.

This "College for a Day" field trip takes place every year. It started because teachers at the middle school wanted to take their classes on a trip that would be inexpensive and fulfilling to children that might have future interest in college. EMU and Hillyard Middle school worked together to come up with the idea to bring the students to campus for a day.

They "want students to explore college life by engaging in a day of fun-filled educational experiences that relate to the real world," says Brownscombe. "The field trip helps these kids realize that average people can go to college."

There were about 50 students from Hillyard Middle School involved in the field trip. Each student was given a choice of a major to explore for the day. They could choose math and science, communications, early childhood education, or history and social studies. The students also had the opportunity to explore the dorms, and they had lunch outside on Thomas Plaza.

Sophomore Kevin Beachy, an education major, was one of the leaders of the communications group. When asked what he thought about the day, Beachy said, "It was fun, it was tiring; as our teacher said, the first two weeks of teaching middle school you just go home and collapse, but I still had a blast."

Junior math education major Lydia Ramer, who was part of leading the math and science group, says, "I think the kids had a lot of fun. I think the whole trip went well. The actual day wasn't stressful, but the planning was."

Some EMU students are skeptical about the idea of bringing middle school students to campus. Melanie Pritchard, a first year student, says, "I think it's a little early to start forcing college down their throats. They should be allowed to make that choice for themselves."

Laura Arendt, also a first year student, says, "I really didn't care because it didn't affect me."

Other students were very enthusiastic about the middle school visitors. Rising sophomore J.J. Threatte says, "It's awesome to see young kids getting a chance to get a head start at what college life is all about. I think it's never too early to instill college into their minds. Who knows, maybe we can recruit some of them and have our tuition lowered?"

Coming to EMU gave J. Frank Hillyard Middle School students a chance to see new opportunities in the near future. The Middle School Organization and Curriculum class will continue to leave the door open for the young minds that might have a future right here on campus.