The program is called A TIME for Freshmen Physics. According to the American Institute of Physics, only about 30 percent of students take physics in high school.

"In college, physics is viewed as one of the harder courses to take and it's a gatekeeper course for science and engineering majors," said director of the program and professor of Physics at the University of Missouri Meera Chandrasekhar.  "It is important to understand because it's applied to so many sciences.  So if it is learned in high school, it gives students a good start to college."

Eileen Bisgis teaches a class at Lewis and Clark Middle School called Gateway to Technology.  This is exactly the type of class A TIME for Freshman Physics wants to promote.

"The students are really excited it's hands on," said Bisgis.  "The hook is realizing it's not just sitting there working with numbers or a boring thing.  It actually has high interest aspects and careers available."

She said the earlier a student can be interested in any area, the better off they will be.

The program plans to implement a teaching development program that lasts five years.  It will train 80 ninth grade science teachers in implementing a year-round physics program, as well as how to train other teachers to follow the program.

Chandrasekhar said some results could be seen this next year, but the most accurate results won't become evident until three or four years into the program.