When four students from Selma Middle CHAT Academy were given an opportunity to attend a week long science and math camp held at Auburn University last month, they were a little unsure of what to expect.

The students-Jakob Shannon, Justin Lowe, Jacolby Adams, and Martin Black-may have pictured themselves surrounded by kids wearing thick-rimmed glasses and pocket protectors.

Once they arrived at the camp, however, the boys were pleasantly surprised.

“At first I thought it would be boring, but it was a lot of fun,” Jakob said.

Jacolby was more succinct. “It was happening,” he said.

The upcoming eighth-graders spent June 20-25 at the Youth Experiences in Science camp at the university conducting hands-on experiments and learning about forensic science, chemistry, rockets, marine biology and electronics.

“We got to solve a murder case, and built a circuit board that made siren noises like a police car,” Justin said.

The boys spent their days taking a three-hour morning class in a selected area of study, and another class later on in the afternoons. They also toured the college’s various science and math facilities, like the veterinarian school and the different science labs.

Along with discovering how fascinating the world of science could be, the boys also enjoyed typical camp fare of going swimming, bowling, and taking trips to the local mall.

“We had a pizza party and got to walk around the campus,” Martin said. “I meet a lot of new people from all over.”

The boys said seventh- and eighth-graders from across Alabama attended the YES camp, and they even got to stay in one of the college dorms.

Martin said he enjoyed getting a short taste of what college life is like, and got to meet a Dean at Auburn University and one of the school’s mathematicians.

“Two of our counselors, Brian and Nathan, were our favorite counselors,” Jacolby said. “They were real laid back and knew how to communicate with kids.”

The boys said they learned about the camp from one of their teachers at CHAT Academy, and were really glad they decided to go.

“I had a great time, and would love to be able to go back next year,” Marin said.

The boys said having a chance to learn more about science got them interested in that field of study, and possibly go on to college in the not-so-distant future.

The boys say they are looking forward to returning to CHAT in August, and are gearing up for another of discovering the fun side of education.