Sports and Science: Pringles, Marbles and 5th Graders.

Middle- and junior-high school students are a natural source of future students for college-level Soils, Agronomy and Environmental Science programs.   One key to successfully recruiting these students to clearly show the wide range of interesting careers that such an education can provide.  The link between soils, turfgrass and athletics provides a compelling and attractive recruiting area for younger students, as many of them are involved in sports.   The Objective of Auburn University's 'Sports and Science' program is to bring 6th grade students to Auburn's Athletic Facilities, and use those facilities to demonstrate the agronomic practices that are necessary to maintain that facility.  Groups of students rotated through three different science based education experiences (agronomy, kinesiology and orthopedic medicine) over a two hour weekday afternoon, with pizza and games following the science.   For agronomy, the concepts of soil compaction, texture and soil types were discussed, using potato chips and marbles to demonstrate porosity and compaction.  Soil profilers and other diagnostic equipment (Clegg hammers and shear meters) were also used, and in all cases the students operated the equipment themselves.  Keys to this highly successful program included lots of help (a graduate student or AU student athlete was present for every two 6th graders), interesting and hands-on activities, and lots of running.  Additional details that will be discussed will include methods of funding this program, proper paperwork to ensure student safety and protection, and the process for the selection of students and their relative ages.  Methods for collaboration between Athletics and the participating academic departments will also be covered.