DIXFIELD — Seventh-grader Karl Morrison was able to flip nearly two dozen pencils, and catch them, in just over 60 seconds. He and others, including “Mr. Mysterious,” AKA, sixth-grader Aaron Berry, solved the “theft” of a teddy bear and a cookie using scientific methods.

All the participants in the first-ever summer program at Dirigo Middle School are having a chance three mornings a week for two weeks to get together, meet new friends and have fun learning.

“We want to keep their brains going during the summer. It’s so easy to stay home watching TV or playing video games,” Principal Celena Ranger said.

The summer program is also serving as a time for last school year’s fifth-graders to get used to the school they’ll be entering in the fall.

Chandler Milligan, a soon-to-be sixth-grader who attended Dirigo Elementary School in Peru, is one of them.

“I’m excited to come to the middle school. It’s a new school and new kids,” he said.

He and all the participants were busy using clues such as colored markers with their colors running, and scientific methods to determine which of the teachers had “stolen” the teddy bear.

Jackie Knight, an AmeriCorps volunteer and coordinator for the middle school site, was the “guilty” person, the youngsters decided.

But before that, fifth-grade Rumford Elementary teacher, Jessica Sirois, asked them about possible hypotheses based on a “ransom” note.

Morrison was particularly good with a game called, “Minute to Win It,” which is a middle school version of the television show. He plans to return for week two of the program to participate in “Mythbusters,” which is another middle school version of a television program of the same name.

McKayla O’Brien, a seventh-grader from Peru, and Mackenzie Houghton, an eight-grader from Carthage, thought it would be fun to play “Minute to Win It.”

“It makes learning fun,” she said.

Ashley Hutchinson, a seventh-grader from Carthage, is one of many who plan to return next week.

“I’m meeting new people,” she said.

Berry said he really likes science and is looking forward to next week’s program.

Each morning’s activities also include student creation of a healthy snack, such as granola parfaits on Wednesday, and vegetable-filled green peppers on Thursday. Youngsters have also taken nature walks and participated in other outdoor events.

The Dirigo Middle School summer program is funded by the 21st Century federal grant, which has also funded the elementary Summer Adventures programs at Rumford Elementary School and Hartford-Sumner Elementary School.

An RSU 10 bus picks up children at specified locations in each of the Dirigo region towns.

Ranger said she expects the program to continue next summer, when gardening in two, new, grant funded garden beds will be part of the activities.