Field trip program brings Clarke County kids to campus for a look at what's beyond high school

A bright orange ball shoots up in the air under a clear blue sky. Below, about two dozen kids track its movements, prepared to lob it back up if it comes their way. The air is more than a little crisp -- about 38 degrees on this February morning -- but the kids don't complain about the cold. They're focused on keeping that ball from touching the ground.

It might look like recess, but these sixth-graders from W.R. Coile Middle School in Athens are enjoying a field trip to the UGA campus. This is Experience UGA, a new program that brings students from the Clarke County School District to campus for activities that reinforce what they're learning at school while exposing them to college life.