PSHS forensic science program continues to thrive

The Princeton Herald has partnered with the Princeton Sr. High School journalism program to highlight the work of student journalists. This story was written by All-State journalism student Sophia Gaytan.

While looking at the intricate arches, loops and whirls of a fingerprint to attempt to identify the suspect of a burglary, they are interrupted by the school bell, because they weren’t in a crime lab or on a scene. These are students learning through hands-on activities during forensic science class.

The forensic science program at Princeton Sr. High debuted three years ago.         

“I was assigned to teach forensic science during my first year in the classroom, and I quickly fell in love with it,” forensic science teacher Tanya McCormak said. “The subject has a strong foundation in biology and offers countless hands-on learning opportunities, which made it a natural fit for my teaching style.”

Students complete labs and projects that cover the basics of forensics and demonstrate situations that could occur in real-life scenarios.

“My favorite aspect of teaching forensic science is giving students the chance to apply real-world investigative processes,” Mrs. McCormack said. “They learn the same techniques used in the field, such as lifting fingerprints, sketching crime scenes, analyzing unknown substances and more.”

Mrs. McCormack envisions the popular program will continue to grow and expand, specifically in adding a CTE endorsement in the area of law enforcement.

“My goal is to expand opportunities for students who are interested in pursuing legal, investigative and law-related fields,” Mrs. McCormack said.

According to Mrs. McCormack, her favorite part of teaching forensic science is allowing students to apply real-world investigative processes because students learn the same techniques used in the field.

“This year, I introduced additional labs and project-based learning experiences,” Mrs. McCormack said. “Many of these activities placed students directly in the roles of forensic investigators, law enforcement officers or attorneys, allowing them to think critically and problem-solve as professionals would.”

Mrs. McCormack said students are enthusiastic when uncovering the science behind how crimes are solved.

“They enjoy conducting labs, analyzing results and defending their conclusions with evidence,” Mrs. McCormack said. “The hands-on nature of the course sparks curiosity and leads to rich discussions about scientific principles and investigative methods.”