odbc_result echos data instead of saving it to variable - php

Question

I have some code which uses odbc calls. I've had no problem with the pulling data from a MS SQL database until this bit of code. Instead of saving the string to a variable it outputs the string and saves an int 1 to the variable instead.
below is the relevant code:
$qry = 'SELECT * FROM cst_AdEssayDetails_vw WHERE AdEnrollSchedID = ?';
$essay = odbc_prepare($conn,$qry);
if(odbc_execute($essay,array($AdEnrollSchedID))){
if (odbc_num_rows($essay)>0){
while (odbc_fetch_row($essay)){
$setTopic = odbc_result($essay,'setTopic');
$essay_active = odbc_result($essay,'active');
$essay_date = date("m-d-y", strtotime(odbc_result($essay,'StartDate')));
$essayID = odbc_result($essay,'EssayID');
$EnrollSchedID = odbc_result($essay,'AdEnrollSchedID');
$intro = odbc_result($essay,'intro');
$support = odbc_result($essay,'support');
$conclusion = odbc_result($essay,'conclusion');
$essay_comment = odbc_result($essay,'comment');
$submitted = odbc_result($essay,'submitted');
$dateSubmitted = date("m-d-y", strtotime(odbc_result($essay,'dateSubmitted')));
$essay_grade = odbc_result($essay,'grade');
$AdStudentEssayID = odbc_result($essay,'AdStudentEssayID');
$topic = odbc_result($essay,'topic');
echo '<intro1>'.$intro.'</intro1>';
echo '<intro_len>'.strlen($intro).'</intro_len>';
if (1 > strlen($essay_comment)){
$essay_comment = ' ';
} else {
$essay_comment = urlencode($essay_comment);
}
if (1 > strlen($essay_grade)) {
$essay_grade = ' ';
}
if (2 < strlen($topic)){
$topic = urlencode($topic);
} else {
$topic = ' ';
}
if (2 < strlen($intro)){
$intro = urlencode($intro);
} else {
$intro = ' ';
}
if (2 < strlen($support)){
$support = urlencode($support);
} else {
$support = ' ';
}
if (2 < strlen($conclusion)){
$conclusion = urlencode($conclusion);
} else {
$conclusion = ' ';
}
echo '<setTopic>'.$setTopic.'</setTopic>';
echo '<essay_active>'.$essay_active.'</essay_active>';
echo '<essay_date>'.$essay_date.'</essay_date>';
echo '<essayID>'.$essayID.'</essayID>';
echo '<topic>'.$topic.'</topic>';
echo '<intro>'.$intro.'</intro>';
echo '<support>'.$support.'</support>';
echo '<conclusion>'.$conclusion.'</conclusion>';
echo '<essay_comment>'.$essay_comment.'</essay_comment>';
echo '<submitted>'.$submitted.'</submitted>';
echo '<dateSubmitted>'.$dateSubmitted.'</dateSubmitted>';
echo '<essay_grade>'.$essay_grade.'</essay_grade>';
echo '<AdStudentEssayID>'.$AdStudentEssayID.'</AdStudentEssayID>';
}
} else {
The output I get from this is:
'Test Introduction Paragraph
Test Supporting Paragraph
2nd test supporting paragraph
Test Conclusion Paragraph
Test Essay Topic
<intro1>1</intro1>
<intro_len>1</intro_len>
<setTopic>%3Cp%3ETest%20Topic%3C%2Fp%3E</setTopic>
<essay_active>1</essay_active>
<essay_date>01-01-70</essay_date>
<essayID>29</essayID>
<topic></topic>
<intro></intro>
<support></support>
<conclusion></conclusion>
<essay_comment>1</essay_comment>
<submitted>1</submitted>
<dateSubmitted>07-11-16</dateSubmitted>
<essay_grade></essay_grade>
<AdStudentEssayID>59</AdStudentEssayID>'
The output I expect is:
'<intro1>Test Introduction Paragraph</intro1>
<intro_len>1</intro_len>
<setTopic>%3Cp%3ETest%20Topic%3C%2Fp%3E</setTopic>
<essay_active>1</essay_active>
<essay_date>01-01-70</essay_date>
<essayID>29</essayID>
<topic>Test Essay Topic</topic>
<intro>Test Introduction Paragraph</intro>
<support>Test Supporting Paragraph 2nd test supporting paragraph</support>
<conclusion>Test Conclusion Paragraph</conclusion>
<essay_comment>1</essay_comment>
<submitted>1</submitted>
<dateSubmitted>07-11-16</dateSubmitted>
<essay_grade></essay_grade>
<AdStudentEssayID>59</AdStudentEssayID>'
So the question is, Why is it doing this? Why does it output 'intro','support','conclusion', and 'topic' instead of saving them to the variable?