Discovering antibacterial compounds from plants, producing a television show, or learning verbal sparring skills in debating class aren't typical summer camp activities, but then again, the 18 Lebanon students participating in precollege classes at Oregon State University's Precollege Programs for Gifted and Talented (TAG) Youth from July 7-18 aren't typical students either.

"Teaching TAG kids chemistry is great because they get directions really fast," said instructor Jonny Oelkers, 24, a science teacher at Cascade High School in Turner during the school year. "I can give them more hands-on projects then talk about the results because they want to know the science behind it."

The program has grown from a small Adventures in Learning program for fourth through seventh-graders in 1984 to three separate programs drawing over 300 students from Oregon, Washington, Alaska, California and Virginia. Expeditions is a half-day class for third and fourth-graders taught at Linus Pauling Middle School in Corvallis. Adventures in Learning for grades five and six and Outside the Box for seventh and eighth graders are taught on the OSU campus. There is a series of weekend classes in January and February as well.

Instructors for classes are drawn from OSU faculty, public school teachers and professionals. Because many students attend the program every year starting in the third grade, director Judy Michael said she looks for new topics every year.

"The most important part is to find quality instructors who have a passion for their subject and who like to work with gifted children," she said. "It takes 30 seconds for their enthusiasm to make a connection with the class. It's as rewarding for the instructors as it is the kids."

Web design instructor Sam Lahr, 19, did the Expeditions, Adventures in Learning, and Outside the Box series while growing up in Corvallis. Now a computer science sophomore at OSU, Lahr was thrilled to be asked to teach this summer.

"I absolutely love it. You see kids growing and learning," Lahr said. "Everything you wish you could have done you can do for students."

Hamilton Creek student Sean Howser, 10, said that getting to build a programmable robot "was cool" but chemistry was his favorite.

"We just made ice cream with liquid nitrogen," said Howser, who just might find all the chemistry training useful as he follows his goal of one day becoming a doctor.

Several students have gone on to careers they discovered through the precollege programs, Michael said.

The cost for the Expeditions class is $205. Adventures in Learning and Outside the Box cost $405. Parent groups raise money during the year and the precollege program assists with scholarships "as needed," Michael said.

For Willamette Valley students who use the OSU-provided busses there is an additional $110 charge. The Lebanon School District transports Lebanon students to and from Corvallis free of charge.

"No other district does this," Michael said. "After we saw how well bussing the Lebanon students worked, we decided to start sending our own busses out to the other districts."