A body appeared in the library on a cool Tuesday morning in the fall. Three gunshot wounds to the chest and blood trail leading down his chest brought student investigators to the taped off crime scene.
The dummy body, a prop for the new Forensic Science classes, provided students the opportunity to study and analyze a mock crime scene and search the area for additional evidence.
“All sorts of crimes happen all the time,” forensics teacher Kathy Mayberry said. “You never know what will happen at AHS this year. Crimes scenes are going to pop up throughout the year. I enjoy watching the students transform from the state of confusion to the state of understanding. Watching them discover their abilities is worth the effort.”
In addition to the body in the library, the class has done blood splatter name tags and they expect to study many areas of forensics during the school year.
“I’m working my hardest and giving it my all,” junior Sean Jones said. “I’m doing my best not only to pass, but to receive and learn what the teacher has to say.”
When the elective was put up for schedule creation last year, the classes filled quickly.
“This class is quite popular this year,” counselor Dina Riggins said. “There are 237 enrolled in the forensic class spread through nine class periods.”
Mayberry and fellow science teacher Paul Hendrickson teach all sections of the class.
